She raised one of her cubs to become a strong young lion. He learned to hunt and devour prey, and he became a man-eater.
Parallel translations
- WEB She brought up one of her cubs. He became a young lion, and he learned to catch the prey. He devoured men.
- KJV And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.
- BSB She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a young lion. After learning to tear his prey, he devoured men.
- NKJV She brought up one of her cubs, And he became a young lion; He learned to catch prey, And he devoured men.
- NASB ‘When she brought up one of her cubs, He became a young lion, And he learned to tear his prey; He devoured people.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
One cub grows into a young lion that learns to catch prey and devours men, picturing a violent king. Royal power turned to predatory cruelty.
Overview
This cub, commonly identified with King Jehoahaz, becomes a man-devouring lion whose reign is marked by violence. His predatory rule leads to capture, as the next verses describe (cf. 2 Kings 23:31-34). The image warns that misused royal power ends in downfall and lament.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- 2 Kgs 23:31–32Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
- Ezek 22:25There is a conspiracy of her prophets within it, like a roaring lion ravening the prey. They have devoured souls. They take treasure and precious things. They have made her widows many within it.
- 2 Chr 36:1–2Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem.
- Ezek 19:6He went up and down among the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch the prey. He devoured men.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 19:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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