1‘Sing a song of sadness about Israel’s princes.2Say to Israel, ‘ “You were like a mother lion to your princes. She lay down among the lions. She brought up her cubs.3One of them was Jehoahaz. He became a strong lion. He learned to tear apart what he caught. And he became a man-eater.4The nations heard about him. They trapped him in their pit. They put hooks in his face. And they led him away to Egypt.5‘ “The mother lion looked and waited. But all her hope was gone. So she got another one of her cubs. She made him into a strong lion.6He prowled with the lions. He became very strong. He learned to tear apart what he caught. And he became a man-eater.7He broke down their forts. He completely destroyed their towns. The land and all those who were in it were terrified when he roared.8Then nations came against him. They came from all around him. They spread out their net to catch him. He was trapped in their pit.9They used hooks to pull him into a cage. They brought him to the king of Babylon. They put him in prison. So his roar was not heard anymore on the mountains of Israel.10‘ “Israel, you were like a vine in a vineyard. It was planted near water. It had a lot of fruit and many branches. There was plenty of water.11Its branches were strong. Each was good enough to be made into a ruler’s sceptre. The vine grew high above all the leaves. It stood out because it was so tall and had so many branches.12But Nebuchadnezzar became angry. He pulled it up by its roots. He threw it to the ground. The east wind dried it up. Its fruit was stripped off. Its strong branches dried up. And fire destroyed them.13Now it is planted in the Babylonian desert. It is in a dry and thirsty land.14One of its main branches was Zedekiah. Fire spread from it and burned up its fruit. None of its branches is good enough to be made into a ruler’s sceptre.” This is a song of sadness. And that is how it should be used.’
Ezekiel 19
English Standard Version
A Lament for the Princes of Israel
1And you, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, (Jer 7:29; Eze 26:17; Eze 27:2; Eze 27:32; Eze 28:12; Eze 32:2; Am 5:1)2and say: What was your mother? A lioness! Among lions she crouched; in the midst of young lions she reared her cubs. (Ge 49:9)3And she brought up one of her cubs; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch prey; he devoured men. (2Ki 23:30; Eze 22:25; Eze 22:27; Eze 32:2)4The nations heard about him; he was caught in their pit, and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt. (2Ki 23:33; Jer 22:11; La 4:20)5When she saw that she waited in vain, that her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion. (2Ki 23:34; 2Ki 23:36)6He prowled among the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch prey; he devoured men,7and seized[1] their widows. He laid waste their cities, and the land was appalled and all who were in it at the sound of his roaring.8Then the nations set against him from provinces on every side; they spread their net over him; he was taken in their pit. (2Ch 36:6; Eze 12:13; Eze 19:4)9With hooks they put him in a cage[2] and brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into custody, that his voice should no more be heard on the mountains of Israel. (Jer 22:26; Eze 6:2; Eze 19:8)10Your mother was like a vine in a vineyard[3] planted by the water, fruitful and full of branches by reason of abundant water. (De 8:7; Ps 80:9; Eze 15:6)11Its strong stems became rulers’ scepters; it towered aloft among the thick boughs;[4] it was seen in its height with the mass of its branches.12But the vine was plucked up in fury, cast down to the ground; the east wind dried up its fruit; they were stripped off and withered. As for its strong stem, fire consumed it. (Eze 17:10; Ho 13:15)13Now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land. (2Ki 24:12; Eze 1:1; Ho 2:3)14And fire has gone out from the stem of its shoots, has consumed its fruit, so that there remains in it no strong stem, no scepter for ruling. This is a lamentation and has become a lamentation. (2Ki 24:20; Eze 17:15; Eze 19:1; Eze 19:11)