A Lament over Israel’s Princes
God instructs Ezekiel to take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel. The lamentation is a personification of the state of the nation of Judah. It describes a lioness who rears her cubs. One of the cubs became a strong lion, but the nations heard about him, and he was trapped in their pit and led with hooks to the land of Egypt. The second cub also grew to become a strong lion, but he too was trapped in their pit and taken in a cage with hooks to the land of Babylon.
‘What a lioness was your mother
Ezekiel 19:1-4
among the lions!
She lay down among them
and reared her cubs.
3 She brought up one of her cubs,
and he became a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
and he became a man-eater.
4 The nations heard about him,
and he was trapped in their pit.
They led him with hooks
to the land of Egypt.
The lioness described symbolises the nation of Judah, and the two cubs were two of its kings. The first cub likely represents King Jehoahaz, who was taken captive to Egypt by Pharaoh Necho. The second cub likely refers to King Jehoiachin, who had already been taken into captivity in Babylon. This illustration shows that, for Judah, there was no hope of a quick return from exile and no escape from the approaching Babylonian armies. Not even the political or military might of Judah’s king could save the nation. Like branches of a vine, they would be cut off and uprooted by the east wind — representing the Babylonian army.
Faith With Petra 