A Lamentation for the Princes of Israel

191 "Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel 2 and say: " 'What a lioness was your mother 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. 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 down[1] their strongholds and devastated their towns. The land and all who were in it were terrified by his roaring. 8 Then the nations came against him, those from regions round about. They spread their net for him, and he was trapped in their pit. 9 With hooks they pulled him into a cage and brought him to the king of Babylon. They put him in prison, so his roar was heard no longer on the mountains of Israel.

Other Translations of Ezekiel 19:1-9

King James Version

A Lamentation for the Princes of Israel

191 Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, 2 And say, What is thy mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions. 3 And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men. 4 The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt. 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. 8 Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit. 9 And they put him in ward in chains, in chains: or, in hooks and brought him to the king of Babylon: they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.

English Standard Version

A Lamentation for the Princes of Israel

191 And you, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, 2 and say: What was your mother? A lioness! Among lions she crouched; in the midst of young lions she reared her cubs. 3 And she brought up one of her cubs; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch prey; he devoured men. 4 The nations heard about him; he was caught in their pit, and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt. 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. 8 Then the nations set against him from provinces on every side; they spread their net over him; he was taken in their pit. 9 With hooks they put him in a cageOr in a wooden collar 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.

The Message

A Lamentation for the Princes of Israel

191 Sing the blues over the princes of Israel. 2 Say: What a lioness was your mother among lions! She crouched in a pride of young lions. Her cubs grew large. 3 She reared one of her cubs to maturity, a robust young lion. He learned to hunt. He ate men. 4 Nations sounded the alarm. He was caught in a trap. They took him with hooks and dragged him to Egypt. 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. 8 The nations got together to hunt him. Everyone joined the hunt. They set out their traps and caught him. 9 They put a wooden collar on him and took him to the king of Babylon. No more would that voice be heard disturbing the peace in the mountains of Israel!

New King James Version

A Lamentation for the Princes of Israel

191 "Moreover take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, 2 and say: 'What is your mother? A lioness: She lay down among the lions; Among the young lions she nourished her cubs. 3 She brought up one of her cubs, And he became a young lion; He learned to catch prey, And he devoured men. 4 The nations also heard of him; He was trapped in their pit, And they brought him with chains to the land of Egypt. 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. 8 Then the nations set against him from the provinces on every side, And spread their net over him; He was trapped in their pit. 9 They put him in a cage with chains, And brought him to the king of Babylon; They brought him in nets, That his voice should no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel.

New Living Translation

A Lamentation for the Princes of Israel

191 "Sing this funeral song for the princes of Israel: 2 "What is your mother? A lioness among lions! She lay down among the young lions and reared her cubs. 3 She raised one of her cubs to become a strong young lion. He learned to hunt and devour prey, and he became a man-eater. 4 Then the nations heard about him, and he was trapped in their pit. They led him away with hooks to the land of Egypt. 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. 8 Then the armies of the nations attacked him, surrounding him from every direction. They threw a net over him and captured him in their pit. 9 With hooks, they dragged him into a cage and brought him before the king of Babylon. They held him in captivity, so his voice could never again be heard on the mountains of Israel.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 19:1-9

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.