A Lament for Israel’s Princes
What was your mother? A lioness!
She lay down among the lions;
she reared her cubs among the young lions.
3She brought up one of her cubs,
and he became a young lion.19:3 2Kg 23:31–32
After he learned to tear prey,
he devoured people.
4When the nations heard about him,
he was caught in their pit.
Then they led him away with hooks
to the land of Egypt.19:4–5 2Kg 23:34
5When she saw that she waited in vain,
that her hope was lost,
she took another of her cubs
and made him a young lion.
6He prowled among the lions,19:6 Jr 22:13–17
and he became a young lion.
After he learned to tear prey,
he devoured people.
7He devastated their strongholds19:7 Tg, Aq; MT reads knew their widows
and destroyed their cities.
The land and everything in it shuddered
at the sound of his roaring.
8Then the nations from the surrounding provinces
They spread their net over him;
he was caught in their pit.
and led him away to the king of Babylon.
They brought him into the fortresses
so his roar could no longer be heard
on the mountains of Israel.19:9 Ezk 6:2
10Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard,19:10 Some Hb mss; other Hb mss read blood19:10 Ps 80:8–11
planted by the water;
it was fruitful and full of branches19:10 Dt 8:7–9
because of abundant water.
11It had strong branches, fit for the scepters of rulers;
its height towered among the clouds.19:11 Or thick foliage
So it was conspicuous for its height
as well as its many branches.
thrown to the ground,
and the east wind dried up its fruit.
Its strong branches were torn off and dried up;19:12 Hs 13:15
fire consumed them.
13Now it is planted in the wilderness,19:13 2Kg 24:12–16; Hs 2:3
in a dry and thirsty land.
14Fire has gone out from its main branch19:14 Lit from the branch of its parts
and has devoured its fruit,
so that it no longer has a strong branch,
a scepter for ruling.19:14 Lm 2:5
This is a lament and should be used as a lament.”
Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard
Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
