Ezekiel 19

A prophetical lamentation for the wicked administration and the miserable of the Zoahaz and Zedekia Kings of Juda and also for the ruines of the land of Juda under the arable of lioness ,lion whelps and young lions also of a vine the rods thereof &c .

1. Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel [these are Gods words to the prophet Ezekiel understand here by the princes of Israel the kings of Juda whom the king of Babel had brought under his yoke.]

2. And say what thy mother was? [meaning the house tribe or kingdom of Juda and especially Jerusalem were the kings of Juda had their court and their throne and roam which place they were defended] a lioness [that is to be compared to a lioness to wit not only for royal power and dignity which was in the tribe of Juda but also for boldness fierceness and cruelty which that tribe often times shewed in governing] lying down among lions [that is dwelling in the midst of mighty kings cruel nations or kingdom compare Nahum others how was thy mother a lioness lying down among lions ![she brought up her whelps [understand by these the young sons of kings that is in time were to come to the place of their fathers now here is spoken to the sons of King Josiah that utterly degenerated from the virtue and piety of their fathers]in the midst of young lions [to wit which are indeed some what older and stronger then lion whelps as may be gathered from the following verse.]

3. Now she brought up one of her whelps [namely Joahaz who became king in his father stead 2Kings 23.30]it became a young lion the same learned to spoil the spoil [Joahaz is here accused of greediness after prey and oppression committed against the neighbour nations to wit the Egyptian afterwards of tyranny ,violence and blood shedding committed even against his own subjects compare below verse 6]he did eat up men [compare Deut 7 on verse 26 and 31 on verse 17 Psalms 14 on verse 4 and 2 on verse 2.]

4. The nations [that is the Egyptian as appeared in the end of this verse]heard this of him he was taken in their pit [they write that lions are wont to be caught in seerer pits and also with nets]and they brought him with hooks [that is with chains that consist of many links as of so many hooks]unto the land of Egypt [see 2 Kings 23:33,34 Jerem 2.11,12.]

5. Now she [to wit the lioness or mother of this young lion whereof is soken above vers 2 [seeing that she had been in hope but her expectation was lost [to wit of getting the captive lion Joahaz again]then she took another for her whelps [to wit Jojakinthe brother of Joahaz given to the lioness by Pharoah and permitted by him to be in his brothers stead as is implied in the following words]whom she made a young lion .

6. This walked continually among the lions [meaning king, or nation, whose cruelty abominableness he imitated see above on vers 2 and learned to spoil the spoil [compare above verse 3] and did eat up men.

7. He knew their widows [that is had carnal copulation with the wives of those whom who he had wrongfully murdered and cruly oppressed see of the word knowing so taken Genes 4 on verse1 oters take the word Almenoth which signifieth widows below chap 22.25 for Almenoth that I palaces 2Chrons 36.19 or desolate palaces as Isa 13 .22 see there the annotate and that this sense that Jojachin also seized upon and took good of men yea of the great one whom he had oppressed for that very end and purpose viewing them and taking notice of them] and laid waste their cities so that the land and the fullness thereof [that is that which filleth orthat which is in it so Psal 24 .1 Isaiah 6:3 and below chap 32.15 .] became astonished [or waste ,and solitary] at the voice of his roaring [that is at his tyrannical raging and oppression.]

8. Then the nations set themselves against him round about from the countries [see of these nations and countries 2 Kings 24:2] and thy spread out their net over him see above on verse 4 ]he was taken in their pit .

9. And they put him in closed ward with hooks [see above on verse 4]that they might bring him to the king of Babel they brought him into holds [that is to Babel which was very strong and had great holds or forts Jerem 51.25,53 indeed their intention was to bring him thither but they could not perfom it because he died by the way as Jeremia had foretold Jerem 22.18 ,19 and 36.30]that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel .

10. Thy mother [see above on verse 2] was like a vine in thine stillness [that is as long as the kingdom was in peace and prosperity or as others as long as thou didst remain obedient to the king of Babel others in thy blood that is at thy birth and first coming forth into theworld compare above cahp 16.6 and the annotate]planted by the waters she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters .

11. And she [to wit the vine]had strong rods for scepters of rulers [or branches or sticks of strength &c understand by these the king and princes of the blood royal of which the kings of Juda were made]and the stock[Heb statur and tallness as above chap 17.6]of every rod waxed high [to wit aslong as the blessing of God was upon that vine]between the close branches understand by these the multitudes of the Lords ,prnces and great one of the land ]and she [to wit every king which are here called scepters of rulers]was seen [that is famous and rowned by her hight with the multitude of her branches [meaning the whole kingdom and strength of the people of the Jews.]

12. But she was plucked up by wrath [meaning by the just wrath of God and cast down to the ground and the east wind [this signifieth here the king of Babel with all his army as above chap 17 .10] dried up her fruits her strong rods [see on the former verse]are broken off and are withered the fire [to wit the divine vengeance] hath consumed them .

13. And now she is planted in a wilderness in a dry and thirsty land [meaning the land of Babylon which though in itself it abounded withwater and and was very fruitful yet unto the captive Jews it was like a dry and barren wilderness as the wilderness had been unto their fathers through which they traveled to the land of promise compare below chap 20 .35.]

14. Moreover a fire is gone out from the rod of her branches [that is from king Zedekia who as it followeth by his rebelling against the king of Babel brought a remarkable destruction upon himself and upon all the people of the Jews 2 Kings 24:20 and 25.1]which hath consumed her fruit sothat there is no strong rod to be a scepter to rule [se above on verse 11]this is a lamentation and is become a lamentation .