5 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. 6 And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men. 7 And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring.

Other Translations of Ezekiel 19:5-7

New International Version

5 " 'When she saw her hope unfulfilled, her expectation gone, she took another of her cubs and made him a strong lion. 6 He prowled among the lions, for he was now a strong lion. He learned to tear the prey and he became a man-eater. 7 He broke downTargum (see Septuagint); Hebrew "He knew" their strongholds and devastated their towns. The land and all who were in it were terrified by his roaring.

English Standard Version

5 When she saw that she waited in vain, that her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion. 6 He prowled among the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch prey; he devoured men, 7 and seizedHebrew knew their widows. He laid waste their cities, and the land was appalled and all who were in it at the sound of his roaring.

The Message

5 When the lioness saw she was luckless, that her hope for that cub was gone, She took her other cub and made him a strong young lion. 6 He prowled with the lions, a robust young lion. He learned to hunt. He ate men. 7 He rampaged through their defenses, left their cities in ruins. The country and everyone in it was terrorized by the roars of the lion.

New King James Version

5 'When she saw that she waited, that her hope was lost, She took another of her cubs and made him a young lion. 6 He roved among the lions, And became a young lion; He learned to catch prey; He devoured men. 7 He knew their desolate places, And laid waste their cities; The land with its fullness was desolated By the noise of his roaring.

New Living Translation

5 "When the lioness saw that her hopes for him were gone, she took another of her cubs and taught him to be a strong young lion. 6 He prowled among the other lions and stood out among them in his strength. He learned to hunt and devour prey, and he, too, became a man-eater. 7 He demolished fortresses and destroyed their towns and cities. Their farms were desolated, and their crops were destroyed. The land and its people trembled in fear when they heard him roar.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 19:5-7

Commentary on Ezekiel 19:1-9

(Read Ezekiel 19:1-9)

Ezekiel is to compare the kingdom of Judah to a lioness. He must compare the kings of Judah to a lion's whelps; they were cruel and oppressive to their own subjects. The righteousness of God is to be acknowledged, when those who have terrified and enslaved others, are themselves terrified and enslaved. When professors of religion form connexions with ungodly persons, their children usually grow up following after the maxims and fashions of a wicked world. Advancement to authority discovers the ambition and selfishness of men's hearts; and those who spend their lives in mischief, generally end them by violence.