A Lament for Israel’s Princes
1 "As for you, take up a lament for the princes of Israel, 19:1 Ezk 26:17; 27:22 and say:
What was your mother? A lioness!
She lay down among the lions;
she reared her cubs among the young lions.
3 She brought up one of her cubs,
and he became a young lion. 19:3 2Kg 23:31–32
After he learned to tear prey,
he devoured people.
4 When the nations heard about him,
he was caught in their pit.
Then they led him away with hooks
to the land of Egypt. 19:4–5 2Kg 23:34
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, 19:6 Jr 22:13–17
and he became a young lion.
After he learned to tear prey,
he devoured people.
7 He devastated their strongholds 19:7 Tg, Aq; MT reads knew their widows
and destroyed their cities.
The land and everything in it shuddered
at the sound of his roaring.
8 Then the nations from the surrounding provinces
set out against him. 19:8 2Kg 24:2,11
They spread their net over him;
he was caught in their pit.
9 They put a wooden yoke on him 19:9 Or put him in a cage with hooks 19:9 2Ch 36:6
and led him away to the king of Babylon.
They brought him into the fortresses
so his roar could no longer be heard
on the mountains of Israel. 19:9 Ezk 6:2
10 Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, 19:10 Some Hb mss; other Hb mss read blood, 19:10 Ps 80:8–11
planted by the water;
it was fruitful and full of branches 19:10 Dt 8:7–9
because of abundant water.
11 It had strong branches, fit for the scepters of rulers;
its height towered among the clouds. 19:11 Or thick foliage
So it was conspicuous for its height
as well as its many branches.
12 But it was uprooted in fury, 19:12 Jr 31:28
thrown to the ground,
and the east wind dried up its fruit.
Its strong branches were torn off and dried up; 19:12 Hs 13:15
fire consumed them.
13 Now it is planted in the wilderness, 19:13 2Kg 24:12–16; Hs 2:3
in a dry and thirsty land.
14 Fire has gone out from its main branch 19:14 Lit from the branch of its parts
and has devoured its fruit,
so that it no longer has a strong branch,
a scepter for ruling. 19:14 Lm 2:5
This is a lament and should be used as a lament."