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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 19:1-9

Here are, I. Orders given to the prophet to bewail the fall of the royal family, which had long made so great a figure by virtue of a covenant of royalty made with David and his seed, so that the eclipsing and extinguishing of it are justly lamented by all who know what value to put upon the covenant of our God, as we find, after a very large account of that covenant with David (Ps. 89:3, 20), a sad lamentation for the decays and desolations of his family (v. 38, 39): But thou hast cast off... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 19:2

And say, what is thy mother ?.... That is, say so to the then reigning prince, Zedekiah, what is thy mother like? to what is she to be compared? by whom is meant, not the royal family of David only, or Jerusalem the metropolis of the nation, but the whole body of the people; and so the Targum interprets it of the congregation of Israel. The answer to the question is, a lioness ; she is like to one, not for her strength and glory, but for her cruelty and rapine; for her want of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 19:3

And she brought up one of her whelps ,.... Or sons, as the Targum: or, "made him to ascend" F20 ותעל "et ascendere fecit", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version. , as the word signifies; to mount the throne; this was Jehoahaz, whom the people of the land took and anointed him, and made him king in the stead of Josiah his father, 2 Kings 23:30 ; it become a young lion ; that is, a king, as the same Targum explains it, and a tyrannical and arbitrary one: and it learned to catch... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 19:4

The nations also heard of him ,.... The neighbouring nations, particularly the Egyptians; the fame of his behaviour reached them; they were informed how he used his own subjects, and what designs he had formed, and what preparations he was making against his neighbours; wherefore they thought it proper to oppose his measures in time, and to hinder him from proceeding and putting his projects into execution, by coming out against him, and fighting with him, as they did: he was taken in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 19:5

Now when she saw ,.... That is, his mother, as the Syriac version expresses it; not his natural mother; as the mother of Sisera looked out and waited for him; but the congregation of Israel, as Jarchi interprets it, the body of the Jewish people: that she had waited ; for the return of Jehoahaz out of Egypt, which was expected for some time: or, "that she was become sick"; or "weak" F23 כי נוחלה "quod infirmatus esset", Cocceius, Starckius. , and feeble, and brought to a low... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 19:6

And he went up and down among the lions ,.... The kings, as the Targum; kings of neighbouring nations, as Pharaoh king of Egypt, and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and sometimes he was subject to the one, and sometimes to the offer: and his going up and down among them may denote his continuance as a king; for whereas his brother reigned but three months, he reigned eleven years: he became a young lion ; an oppressive prince, a cruel and tyrannical king: and learned to catch the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 19:7

And he knew their desolate palaces ,.... He took notice of the palaces or seats of the richest men of the nation, and pillaged them of their treasure and wealth, and so they became desolate: it may be rendered, he "knew their widows" F24 וידע אלמנותיו "et cognovit viduas ejus", Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius; "viduas eorum", Vatablus, Starckius; so R. Joseph Kimchi. Which sense is approved by Gussetius, Ebr. Comment. p. 312. R. Jonah interprets it, "he broke their palaces"; so Calvin,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 19:2

What is thy mother? A lioness - Judea may here be the mother; the lioness, Jerusalem. Her lying down among lions, her having confederacy with the neighboring kings; for lion here means king. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 19:3

She brought up one of her whelps - Jehoahaz, son of Josiah, whose father was conquered and slain by Pharaoh-necho, king of Egypt. It learned to catch the prey - His reign was a reign of oppression and cruelty. He made his subjects his prey, and devoured their substance. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 19:4

The nations also heard of him - The king of Egypt, whose subjects were of divers nations, marched against Jerusalem, took Jehoahaz prisoner, and brought him to Egypt. Thus: - He was taken in their pit - Here is an allusion to those trap-pits digged in forests, into which the wild beasts fall, when the huntsmen, surrounding a given portion of the forest, drive the beasts in; by degrees narrowing the inclosure, till the animals come to the place where the pits are, which, being lightly... read more

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