Ezekiel 19:5-7

     5. saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost—that is, that her long-waited-for hope was disappointed, Jehoahaz not being restored to her from Egypt.

      she took another of her whelps—Jehoiakim, brother of Jehoahaz, who was placed on the throne by Pharaoh (2Ki 23:34), according to the wish of Judah.

     6. went up and down among the lions—imitated the recklessness and tyranny of the surrounding kings (Jer 22:13-17).

      catch . . . prey—to do evil, gratifying his lusts by oppression (2Ki 23:37).

     7. knew . . . desolate palaces—that is, claimed as his own their palaces, which he then proceeded to "desolate." The Hebrew, literally "widows"; hence widowed palaces (Isa 13:22). VATABLUS (whom FAIRBAIRN follows) explains it, "He knew (carnally) the widows of those whom he devoured" (Eze 19:6). But thus the metaphor and the literal reality would be blended: the lion being represented as knowing widows. The reality, however, often elsewhere thus breaks through the veil.

      fulness thereof—all that it contained; its inhabitants.

Copyright information for JFB