Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezekiel 19
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Ezekiel 19
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Ezekiel 19
"and say, What was thy mother? A lioness: she couched among lions, in the midst of the young lions she nourished her whelps." — Ezekiel 19:2 (ASV)
Your mother. —Mother stands for the whole national community—the theocracy, as is plain from Ezekiel 19:10. This was represented, since the captivity of the ten tribes, by Judah; and her “princes,” of the line of David, were the legitimate kings of the whole nation. The figure of the lion is a common one in Scripture (Numbers 23:24; Numbers 24:9), and was also familiar in Babylonia.
"And she brought up one of her whelps: he became a young lion, and he learned to catch the prey; he devoured men." — Ezekiel 19:3 (ASV)
It became a young lion. —There can be no doubt of the reference of this to Jehoahaz. After the death of Josiah, the people of the land took Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah ... and made him king (2 Kings 23:30). In Ezekiel 19:6 Jehoiachin is also spoken of particularly. These two are mentioned as examples of all the other kings after Josiah. Jehoiakim and Zedekiah are simply passed over, although it may be that the prophet looked upon them as creatures of Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar rather than as legitimate kings of Israel. Jehoiakim, moreover, died in Jerusalem, and Zedekiah was at this moment still upon the throne.
It devoured men. —This at once keeps up the figure, and has also its special justification in the evil courses of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:32). He is represented as growing up and being like the heathen kings around. See also, in Ezekiel 19:2, Israel as a whole is represented as going aside from her high calling as a theocracy, and making herself like the nations round about.
"The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit; and they brought him with hooks unto the land of Egypt." — Ezekiel 19:4 (ASV)
Brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt. —Jehoahaz was conquered by Pharaohnecho, deposed, and carried captive (2 Kings 23:33; 2 Chronicles 36:4). “Chains” is literally nose-rings, keeping up the figure of the lion. In the first part of the verse, there is also an allusion to the custom of assembling the neighborhood to secure a lion or other wild beast.
"Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion." — Ezekiel 19:5 (ASV)
Another of her whelps.— After the three months’ reign of Jehoahaz, his brother Jehoiakim was appointed king by Pharaoh (2 Kings 23:34). He was conquered and bound in fetters by Nebuchadnezzar, with the intention of carrying him to Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:7). However, he died in disgrace in Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:6) and was regularly succeeded by his son Jehoiachin without foreign interference. His character, as shown in Ezekiel 19:6-7 (compare 2 Kings 24:9; 2 Chronicles 36:9), was evil like that of his father.
"And he knew their palaces, and laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, because of the noise of his roaring." — Ezekiel 19:7 (ASV)
Knew their desolate palaces. —This verse continues to describe the abominations of Jehoiachin’s ways. The word “desolate palaces,” although defended by some authorities, should be rendered, as in the margin, widows. The mention of the king’s violation of these is an unavoidable departure from the figure, such as often occurs in Ezekiel.
Jump to: