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A Sad Song for Israel

19 “Sing a funeral song for the leaders of Israel. Say:

‘Your mother was like a female lion.
She lay down among the young lions.
    She had many cubs.
She brought up one of her cubs.
    And he became a strong lion.
He learned to tear the animals he hunted.
    And he ate people.
The nations heard about him.
    He was trapped in their pit.
And they brought him with hooks
    to the land of Egypt.

“‘The mother lion waited and saw
    that there was no hope for her cub.
So she took another one of her cubs
    and made him a strong lion.
This cub roamed among the lions.
    He was now a strong lion.
He learned to tear the animals he hunted.
    And he ate people.
He destroyed their strong places.
    He destroyed their cities.
The land and everything in it
    were terrified by the sound of his roar.
Then the nations came against him
    from areas all around.
And they spread their net over him.
    He was trapped in their pit.
Then they put him into a cage with chains.
    And they brought him to the king of Babylon.
They put him into prison.
    Then his roar could not be heard again
    on the mountains of Israel.

10 “‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard.
    It was planted beside the water.
The vine had many branches and gave much fruit
    because there was plenty of water.
11 The vine had strong branches.
    They were good enough for a king’s scepter.
The vine became tall
    among the thick branches.
And it was seen because it was tall
    with many branches.
12 But it was pulled up by its roots in anger.
    It was thrown down to the ground.
The east wind dried it up.
    Its fruit was torn off.
Its strong branches were broken off.
    They were burned up.
13 Now the vine is planted in the desert,
    in a dry and thirsty land.
14 And fire has spread from the vine’s main branch.
    It has destroyed its fruit.
There is not a strong branch left on it
    that could become a scepter for a king.’

This is a funeral song. It is to be used as a funeral song.”

A Lament Over Israel’s Princes

19 “Take up a lament(A) concerning the princes(B) of Israel and say:

“‘What a lioness(C) was your mother
    among the lions!
She lay down among them
    and reared her cubs.(D)
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.
The nations heard about him,
    and he was trapped in their pit.
They led him with hooks(E)
    to the land of Egypt.(F)

“‘When she saw her hope unfulfilled,
    her expectation gone,
she took another of her cubs(G)
    and made him a strong lion.(H)
He prowled among the lions,
    for he was now a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
    and he became a man-eater.(I)
He broke down[a] their strongholds
    and devastated(J) their towns.
The land and all who were in it
    were terrified by his roaring.
Then the nations(K) came against him,
    those from regions round about.
They spread their net(L) for him,
    and he was trapped in their pit.(M)
With hooks(N) they pulled him into a cage
    and brought him to the king of Babylon.(O)
They put him in prison,
    so his roar(P) was heard no longer
    on the mountains of Israel.(Q)

10 “‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard[b](R)
    planted by the water;(S)
it was fruitful and full of branches
    because of abundant water.(T)
11 Its branches were strong,
    fit for a ruler’s scepter.
It towered high
    above the thick foliage,
conspicuous for its height
    and for its many branches.(U)
12 But it was uprooted(V) in fury
    and thrown to the ground.
The east wind(W) made it shrivel,
    it was stripped of its fruit;
its strong branches withered
    and fire consumed them.(X)
13 Now it is planted in the desert,(Y)
    in a dry and thirsty land.(Z)
14 Fire spread from one of its main[c] branches
    and consumed(AA) its fruit.
No strong branch is left on it
    fit for a ruler’s scepter.’(AB)

“This is a lament(AC) and is to be used as a lament.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 19:7 Targum (see Septuagint); Hebrew He knew
  2. Ezekiel 19:10 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts your blood
  3. Ezekiel 19:14 Or from under its