Ezekiel 19:2

“And say, what [is] thy mother? &c.] That is, say so to the then reigning prince, Zedekiah, what is thy mother like? to what is she to be compared? by whom is meant, not the royal family of David only, or Jerusalem the metropolis of the nation, but the whole body of the people; and so the Targum interprets it of the congregation of Israel. The answer to the question is, a lioness; she is like to one, not for her strength and glory, but for her cruelty and rapine; for her want of humanity, mercy, and justice: she lay down among lions; that is, kings, as the Targum interprets it Heathen princes, the kings of the nations about them, as of Egypt and Babylon, (<245017>Jeremiah 50:17); so called…”

“thy mother--the mother of Jehoiachin, the representative of David's line in exile with Ezekiel. The "mother" is Judea: "a lioness," as being fierce in catching prey (Eze 19:3), referring to her heathenish practices. Jerusalem was called Ariel (the lion of God) in a good sense (Isa 29:1); and Judah "a lion's whelp . . . a lion . . . an old lion" (Gen 49:9), to which, as also to Num 23:24; Num 24:9, this passage alludes. nourished . . . among young lions--She herself had "lain" among lions, that is, had intercourse with the corruptions of the surrounding heathen and had brought up the royal young ones similarly: utterly degenerate from the stock of Abraham. Lay down--or "couched," is…”

“Thy mother - The people represented by Judah. Compare Genesis 49:9; Numbers 23:24. return to 'Top of Page'”

“What - What resemblance shall I use to set out the nature, deportment, and state of the mother of these princes? Thy - One of whom was upon the throne at once, and therefore the prophet speaks to one at a time. Mother - The land of Judea, and Jerusalem, the chief city of it, the royal family of David. Lioness - Tho' chosen of God to execute justice; yet they soon degenerated into the fierce and ravening nature of the lioness. Lay down - Associated, and grew familiar with neighbour kings, called here lions; fierce and bloody. Her whelps - Her sons, successors to the crown. Young lions - Either foreign princes and kings, or some of the fierce, unjust, tyrannizing princes at home. Ezekiel 19:3”

“19:2-4 The first picture is of a lioness and one of her cubs, whom she chose as the leader of her pack. This cub represented Jehoahaz, who reigned for a mere three months before being carried to Egypt by Pharaoh Neco (2 Kgs 23:33-34). • hunt . . . devour prey . . . man-eater: The prophet characterizes Jehoahaz’s brief reign in entirely negative terms. • Lions were traditionally hunted with a net and a pit, here a metaphor for the violent way that Jehoahaz would be carried away to Egypt.”

“A lioness: Judea, which possessed strength, courage, and sovereignty. Nah 2:11, Nah 2:12; Zep 3:1-4 she lay: Had confederacy with the neighbouring kings, and learned their manners. her whelps: The sons of Josiah, who learned to be oppressive tyrants from the surrounding princes. young lions: Job 4:11; Psa 58:6; Isa 5:29, Isa 11:6-9; Zac 11:3 Ezekiel 19:3”