He prowled among the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch prey; he devoured men,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse reveals that the young lion didn't just become a predator; he actively "learned to catch prey." This highlights that his cruelty wasn't simply an inherited trait but a deliberate corruption, shaped by his interactions with the "lions," meaning the wicked rulers around him.
He prowled among the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch prey; he devoured men,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel is painting a picture of Judah's kings as dangerous young lions, and this verse specifically describes Jehoiakim. After his father Josiah's righteous reign, Jehoiakim quickly embraced the corrupt ways of the surrounding pagan nations, learning to prey on his own people through injustice and tyranny. He became a ruthless ruler, ultimately consuming not just wealth but innocent lives, a stark contrast to the hope of true leadership.
How does associating with the 'wrong crowd' corrupt even those born into privilege? This verse paints a stark picture of a king who learned his ways from the worst examples.
The prophet Ezekiel uses powerful imagery to describe King Jehoiakim's reign. The phrase 'went up and down among the lions' refers to his interactions with the powerful, often brutal, pagan kings of surrounding nations.
Learning from the 'Lions'
Imagine a shepherd becoming a wolf! This verse reveals a shocking transformation, where a leader meant to protect his people instead preyed upon them.
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Ezekiel doesn't just describe Jehoiakim's negative influences; he portrays the king as a predatory animal, a stark contrast to the image of a shepherd king who cares for his flock.
From Ruler to Ravager
Understand the original words
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.
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.
Ezekiel's powerful metaphor of Jehoiakim as a predatory young lion highlights how his oppressive rule, marked by alliances with foreign powers and cruelty towards his own people, directly mirrored the violent and exploitative politics of the surrounding empires, leading to Judah's ultimate downfall.
627 BC
Death of Assyrian King Ashurbanipal
The death of the Assyrian king marks the beginning of the rapid decline of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, creating a power vacuum in the region that allowed other powers like Egypt and Babylon to rise.
609 BC
Battle of Carchemish
The Neo-Babylonian Empire decisively defeats the Neo-Assyrian Empire and its Egyptian allies, establishing Babylonian dominance over the Near East.
609 BC
Jehoahaz Replaces Josiah as King of Judah
After King Josiah's death in battle against the Egyptians, his son Jehoahaz is made king. However, Pharaoh Neco soon deposes him and installs Jehoiakim.
609 BC - 598 BC— this verse
Reign of King Jehoiakim
Jehoiakim, installed by Egypt, reigns as a vassal king. He is known for his wickedness, heavy taxation, and oppressive rule, mirroring the predatory nature of surrounding kings.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon defeats the Egyptians and begins deporting prominent Judeans, including members of the royal family and educated elite, to Babylon.
598 BC
Jehoiakim's Rebellion and Death
Jehoiakim rebels against Babylonian rule, possibly emboldened by Egyptian support. He dies during the ensuing siege of Jerusalem, and his son Jehoiachin succeeds him briefly before being deported.
This passage directly describes Jehoiakim's oppressive and violent reign, highlighting how he 'devoured men' through injustice and bloodshed, mirroring the lion-like behavior described in Ezekiel. It provides specific examples of the 'prey' he 'learned to catch.'
2 Kings 23:30-37This passage details Jehoiakim's ascent to the throne after his wicked deeds and how he imposed heavy taxes (devouring the people's wealth) and continued in sin, showing the context of his 'learning to catch prey' as a king.
Ezekiel 19:2-5This passage sets up the metaphor by describing the lioness and her whelps, establishing that the kings of Judah are being compared to fierce, predatory animals who learned to kill and devour. It provides the broader literary context for the specific description in verse 6.
Ezekiel 22:27This verse in Ezekiel describes the princes of Israel as wolves 'ravening the prey,' 'shedding blood,' and 'destroying lives to get dishonest gain,' directly paralleling the predatory and destructive actions of the 'young lion' in chapter 19.
clarkeEzekiel 19:6: "And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men."
And he went up and down among the lions - He became a perfect heathen, and made Judea as idolatrous as any of the surrounding nations. He reigned eleven years, a monster of iniquity, 2 Kings 23:30 , etc.
pooleEzekiel 19:6: "And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men."
He, Jehoiakim, went up and down: it is said of him, because he continued eleven years on the throne, and so many years, as a lion, tore and devoured; whereas Jehoahaz was taken as soon almost as he first ventured out to hunt the prey. Among the lions; carried it after the manners and usages of the heathen kings, those barbarous tyrants, with whom he entered leagues,…
This verse reveals that the young lion didn't just become a predator; he actively "learned to catch prey." This highlights that his cruelty wasn't simply an inherited trait but a deliberate corruption, shaped by his interactions with the "lions," meaning the wicked rulers around him.
Ezekiel is painting a picture of Judah's kings as dangerous young lions, and this verse specifically describes Jehoiakim. After his father Josiah's righteous reign, Jehoiakim quickly embraced the corrupt ways of the surrounding pagan nations, learning to prey on his own people through injustice and tyranny. He became a ruthless ruler, ultimately consuming not just wealth but innocent lives, a stark contrast to the hope of true leadership.
Ezekiel is painting a picture of Judah's kings as dangerous young lions, and this verse specifically describes Jehoiakim. After his father Josiah's righteous reign, Jehoiakim quickly embraced the corrupt ways of the surrounding pagan nations, learning to prey on his own people through injustice and tyranny. He became a ruthless ruler, ultimately consuming not just wealth but innocent lives, a stark contrast to the hope of true leadership.
"He prowled among the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch prey; he devoured men," — This verse reveals that the young lion didn't just become a predator; he actively "learned to catch prey." This highlights that his cruelty wasn't simply an inherited trait but a deliberate corrupt…
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Last reviewed October 2026