Ezekiel 19:5-7
When she saw that she waited in vain, that her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion. He prowled among the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch prey; he devoured men, and seized their widows. He laid waste their cities, and the land was appalled and all who were in it at the sound of his roaring.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse highlights a mother's desperate shift in strategy when her initial hope fails. The original Hebrew emphasizes not just waiting, but "waiting in vain," revealing the profound disappointment that drives her to then "make" a new young lion, essentially molding and presenting him as the solution to her lost hope.
After their first young lion, Jehoahaz, was taken captive by Egypt, the people of Judah felt their hopes dashed and waited in vain for his return. So, the "mother lioness," representing Jerusalem or the nation, sought out another of her cubs, Jehoiakim, and appointed him king, shaping him into a fierce young lion to lead them.
Have you ever desperately waited for something, only to have your hope crushed? This verse captures that crushing feeling for the nation of Judah.
The prophet Ezekiel uses powerful imagery to describe the nation's despair. The 'mother lioness' (representing Judah) had placed her hope in one of her 'cubs' (King Jehoahaz). But when she saw her waiting was 'in vain' and her hope was 'lost,' it meant this prince was not coming back. He had been taken captive to Egypt, and any hope of his return or of him saving them was gone.
This wasn't just a political disappointment; it was a spiritual one. It exposed their reliance on human rulers and foreign powers instead of on God. Their hope was placed in a 'whelp,' a young, inexperienced lion, who ultimately failed them.
Even after crushing disappointment, the impulse to find strength and hope can be powerful. But what happens when that new hope is just as flawed?
Despite the bitter disappointment, the lioness (Judah) doesn't give up entirely. She immediately takes 'another of her cubs' and 'makes him a young lion.' This represents the swift appointment of Jehoiakim as king, Jehoahaz's brother. The nation, likely with Egypt's approval, quickly moved to establish a new ruler.
The phrase 'made him a young lion' is significant. It's not that the cub naturally became a lion; he was made one. This suggests an artificial elevation, a forced portrayal of strength and power. He was given the role and the expectations of a mighty king, but the following verses reveal he would prove to be a destructive and ultimately failed leader, just like his predecessor.
Understand the original words
yāḥal · Hebrew Verb
Refers to the act of waiting, expecting, or trusting in someone or something to act. When directed toward God, it implies confident expectation, but when directed toward political alliances or human strength, it is often characterized as futile or misplaced.
tôḥeleṯ · Hebrew Noun
The confident expectation or desire for a favorable outcome. When rooted in human strength or political alliances rather than God, it is described as something that can be lost or proven empty.
kephir · Hebrew Noun
A large, powerful feline predator frequently used in Scripture as a metaphor for strength, fierceness, predatory behavior, or, in the case of the 'Lion of the Tribe of Judah,' kingly authority and messianic triumph. In judgment contexts, it often represents oppressive rulers or nations.
This lament uses the metaphor of a lioness losing her cubs to express the profound national grief and disillusionment of Judah. The successive reigns of Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Jehoiachin, each ending in foreign domination or exile, represent the devastating collapse of the Davidic dynasty and the fulfillment of divine judgment on a wayward people.
609 BC
Jehoahaz taken to Egypt
After King Josiah's death, his son Jehoahaz reigned briefly before Pharaoh Necho of Egypt deposed him and took him captive to Egypt, where he died. This dashed the hopes of many in Judah.
609 BC— this verse
Jehoiakim appointed king
Pharaoh Necho installed Jehoiakim (Jehoahaz's brother) as king of Judah, effectively making Judah a vassal state of Egypt. This marked a period of foreign influence and kingly disappointment.
c. 605 BC
First deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeated the Egyptians and began deporting Judean nobles and skilled workers, including figures like Daniel, to Babylon. This signaled the rising power of Babylon.
598/597 BC
Jehoiachin deposed and exiled
Jehoiakim's son, Jehoiachin, reigned for only three months before Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem and exiled him and much of the remaining elite to Babylon. This was a devastating blow to Judah's monarchy and Davidic hopes.
This passage directly parallels Ezekiel's narrative by showing Pharaoh Necho appointing Eliakim (whose name was changed to Jehoiakim) as king after deposing Jehoahaz, aligning with the 'making him a young lion' as a new ruler.
Jeremiah 22:10-12Jeremiah's prophecy against Shallum (Jehoahaz) speaks of his exile to Egypt and his return being impossible, which resonates with the 'hope was lost' sentiment in Ezekiel 19:5 as the people realize Jehoahaz won't return.
2 Chronicles 36:5-10This historical account narrates Jehoiakim's wicked reign and his eventual capture and deportation to Babylon, mirroring the imagery of a 'young lion' that would eventually be ensnared, as described in the subsequent verses of Ezekiel 19.
Ezekiel 19:6-7These verses immediately follow, describing the actions of the 'young lion' (Jehoiakim), portraying his predatory and destructive nature, which perfectly elaborates on the 'made him a young lion' in verse 5.
ellicottEzekiel 19:5: "Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion."
(5) Another of her whelps.— After the three months’ reign of Jehoahaz, his brother Jehoiakim was appointed king by Pharaoh ( 2Kings 23:34 ). He was conquered and “bound in fetters” by Nebuchadnezzar, with the intention of carrying him to Babylon ( 2Chronicles 36:7 ): he died, however, in disgrace in Jerusalem ( 2Kings 24:6 ; comp. Jeremiah 22:18-19 ), and…
clarkeEzekiel 19:5: "Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion."
When she saw that she had waited - Being very weak, the Jews found that they could not resist with any hope of success; so the king of Egypt was permitted to do as he pleased. She took another of her whelps - Jehoiakim. And made him a young lion - King of Judea.
This verse highlights a mother's desperate shift in strategy when her initial hope fails. The original Hebrew emphasizes not just waiting, but "waiting in vain," revealing the profound disappointment that drives her to then "make" a new young lion, essentially molding and presenting him as the solution to her lost hope.
After their first young lion, Jehoahaz, was taken captive by Egypt, the people of Judah felt their hopes dashed and waited in vain for his return. So, the "mother lioness," representing Jerusalem or the nation, sought out another of her cubs, Jehoiakim, and appointed him king, shaping him into a fierce young lion to lead them.
After their first young lion, Jehoahaz, was taken captive by Egypt, the people of Judah felt their hopes dashed and waited in vain for his return. So, the "mother lioness," representing Jerusalem or the nation, sought out another of her cubs, Jehoiakim, and appointed him king, shaping him into a fierce young lion to lead them.
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akal · Hebrew Verb
To consume or eat greedily; in a biblical context, often used metaphorically for the destruction, exploitation, or total ruin inflicted by wicked leaders upon their own people or enemies.
shamad/charab (contextual) · Hebrew Verb phrase
To make desolate, ruin, or destroy completely; frequently used in the prophets to describe the result of divine judgment upon disobedient nations or cities.
shamem · Hebrew Verb
To be struck with shock, terror, or horror; often used to describe the reaction of people or the land when witnessing the manifest judgment of God or the extreme wickedness of humanity.
597 BC
Zedekiah appointed king
Nebuchadnezzar installed Zedekiah, another son of Josiah, as king of Judah, but he was a puppet ruler. Judah's independence was further eroded.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple destruction
After a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and exiling most of the remaining population to Babylon. This was the ultimate fulfillment of judgment.
"When she saw that she waited in vain, that her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion. He prowled among the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch prey;…" — This verse highlights a mother's desperate shift in strategy when her initial hope fails. The original Hebrew emphasizes not just waiting, but "waiting in vain," revealing the profound disappointment…
