A Lament for the Princes of Israel

Ezekiel is told to raise a lament over Israel's princes by portraying their mother as a lioness among lions. She raises one cub until he becomes a young lion who learns to tear prey and devour men. The nations hear of him, trap him in their pit, and bring him with hooks into the land of Egypt.

“¹As for you, take up a lament for the princes of Israel ²and say: ³She brought up one of her cubs, ⁴When the nations heard of him,

When the lioness sees her first hope lost, she raises another cub into a young lion. He also prowls among lions, learns to devour prey, and lays waste to strongholds and cities so that the land is terrified by his roaring. Then the nations from every side set themselves against him, spread their net over him, catch him, and bring him in a cage to the king of Babylon so his voice is heard no more on Israel's mountains.

⁵When she saw that she had waited in vain, ⁶He prowled among the lions, ⁷He broke down their strongholds ⁸Then the nations set out against him ⁹With hooks they caged him

The lament shifts to the image of the princes' mother as a vine planted by waters, fruitful and full of strong branches fit to be rulers' scepters. Once exalted high among the thick branches, she is uprooted in fury, thrown to the ground, dried by the east wind, and transplanted into a dry wilderness. Fire then goes out from one of her own branches and consumes her fruit so that no strong scepter remains. The chapter closes by naming the whole song a lamentation meant to be used as a lament.

¹⁰Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, ¹¹It had strong branches, fit for a ruler’s scepter. ¹²But it was uprooted in fury, ¹³Now it is planted in the wilderness, ¹⁴Fire has gone out from its main branch