Ezekiel 19

1 “As for you [personally, directly addressed], take up [lift, raise] a lament [dirge, song of grief] for the princes [leaders, rulers] of Israel [God’s chosen people, descendants of Jacob] word study 2 and say: ‘What [in what manner, how] was your mother? A lioness [fierce, powerful] among the lions! She lay down [rested, crouched] among the young lions [vulnerable, yet protected]; she reared [nourished, cared for] her cubs [whelps, immature lions]. word study 3 She brought up [nurtured, cared for] one of her cubs [whelps, young lions], and he became [grew into] a young lion [a strong, fierce predator]. After learning [being taught, guided] to tear [pull apart, ravage] his prey [food, victims], he devoured [ate, consumed] men [human beings, people]. word study 4 When the nations [Gentile countries, non-Hebrew peoples] heard of him, he was trapped [captured, seized] in their pit [a place of destruction, a trap]. With hooks [nose rings, chains] they led him away [took him, brought him] to the land [a country, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa]. word study 5 When she saw [perceived, looked after] that she had waited [been patient, trusted] in vain [without result, to no avail], that her hope [expectancy, a cord of attachment] was lost [perished, destroyed], she took [got, received] another of her cubs [whelps, young lions] and made him a young lion [a strong, fierce predator]. word study 6 He prowled [went up and down, walked among] among the lions, and became a young lion [a lion in its youth]. After learning [to guide, to instruct] to tear [to pull apart, to provide food] his prey [something torn apart, food], he devoured [to eat, to consume] men [the man, Adam, humanity]. word study 7 He broke down their strongholds and devastated [laying waste] their cities [made desolate, ruined]. The land [earth, territory] and everything in it [all its fullness, the entire region] shuddered at the sound [voice, noise] of his roaring [fierce cry, loud voice]. word study 8 Then the nations [Gentile countries, surrounding peoples] set out against him from the provinces [regions, districts] on every side [around, surrounding]. They spread their net [trap, snare] over him; he was trapped [caught, seized] in their pit [grave, destruction]. word study 9 With [nose] hooks they caged [put in a cage or enclosure] him and brought him to the [ruling] king of [confusion or mixing] Babylon. They brought him into [strongholds or fortresses] captivity [a state of being held prisoner] so that his [loud, audible] roar [voice or sound] was heard [perceived or listened to] no longer [not anymore] on the [elevated or high] mountains [hills] of [God’s chosen people] Israel. word study 10 Your mother [a maternal figure, nurturer] was like a vine [a grapevine] in your vineyard [a place of cultivation, care], planted [transplanted, established] by the water [a source of refreshment, life]; it was fruitful [producing abundance, thriving] and full of branches [thickly branched, lush] because of the abundant [many, plentiful] waters [a spring or watercourse]. word study 11 It had strong branches [fit for a ruler’s staff, like a scepter], fit for a ruler’s scepter [a rod or staff, a sceptre]. It towered high [exalted, lifted up] above the thick branches [boughs, multitude of branches], conspicuous [seen, appeared] for its height [stature, loftiness] and for its dense foliage [abundance, multitude of leaves]. word study 12 But it was uprooted [plucked up, torn away] in fury [intense anger, rage], cast down to the ground [land, earth], and the east wind [a burning desert wind] dried up its fruit [the product of its labor]. Its strong branches [rods of strength] were stripped off [broken, torn away] and they withered [dried up, became barren]; the fire [burning, flame] consumed them [devoured, ate them up]. word study 13 Now [at this moment, in this present time] it is planted [transplanted, replanted] in the wilderness [desert, waste land], in a dry [barren, parched] and thirsty [waterless, unwatered] land [earth, country]. word study 14 Fire [burning, flame] has gone out from its main branch [a staff of authority] and devoured its fruit [the product of its actions]; on it no strong branch [rod of strength] remains fit for a ruler’s scepter [a rod or staff, a sceptre].’ This is a lament [a dirge, a song of sorrow] and shall be used as a lament [a mournful expression of grief].” word study