Whelp

hwelp (גּוּר, gūr, or גּור, gōr; either absol. (Eze 19:2 10, Eze 19:3 10, Eze 19:5 10; Nab 2:12); or constr. with ’aryēh, “lion” (Gen 49:9; Deu 33:22; Jer 51:38; Nah 2:11); also לביא בּני, b^enē lābhı̄’, literally, “sons of a lioness,” translated “the whelps of the lioness” (Job 4:11). In Job 28:8, the King James Version has “lion’s whelps” for שׁחץ בּני, b^enē shāḥac, which the Revised Version (British and American) renders “proud beasts,” margin “sons of pride.” In Lam 4:3 gūr is used of the young of tannı̄n the Revised Version (British and American) “jackal,” the King James Version “sea-monsters,” the King James Version margin “sea-calves”; it may possibly mean “wolves”; σκύμνος, skúmnos, the technical word for “lion’s whelp” (1 Macc 3:4)): These references are all figurative: “Judah is a lion’s whelp” (Gen 49:9); “Dan is a lion’s whelp” (Deu 33:22); it is said of the Babylonians, “They shall roar together like young lions; they shall growl as lions’ whelps” (Jer 51:38); of the Assyrians, “Where is the den of the lions, and the feeding-place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked, the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid? The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his caves with prey, and his dens with ravin” (Nah 2:11, Nah 2:12). In Eze 19:2-9, the princes of Israel are compared to lions’ whelps. See DRAGON; LION.

Gen 49:9 (a) This type represents Judah as the offspring of Jacob. Jacob is the lion, and Judah is his puppy. Jacob is informing us that he has imparted to Judah his own cunning, power, knowledge of GOD and ability.

Job 4:11 (c) Probably this type may represent the descendants of great men, especially kings. These sons do not have the power of their father, but are scattered, persecuted and killed by their enemies.

Eze 19:2 (a) The Lord describes the children of Israel’s kings and leaders as being nourished and brought up as wild animals, rebellious against GOD, and fierce in their attitudes. They should have been as lambs, raised among the sheep, but were wild instead.

Eze 19:3 (a) This young lion was the King of Israel who was taken prisoner by Pharaoh and carried in chains into Egypt. His name was Jehoahaz whose mother was Hamutal.

Eze 19:5 (a) The whelp mentioned in this verse was the king of Israel whose name was Jehoiakim. He was captured by the King of Babylon and was carried as a prisoner to Babylon.

Nah 2:11 (b) This type represents the generals of the Assyrian army who lived and are called "old lions." The captains and other officers who worked under these generals are called "young lions."