Ezekiel 19:9

And they put him in ward in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon: they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.

And they put {H5414} him in ward {H5474} in chains {H2397}, and brought {H935} him to the king {H4428} of Babylon {H894}: they brought {H935} him into holds {H4685}, that his voice {H6963} should no more be heard {H8085} upon the mountains {H2022} of Israel {H3478}.

With hooks they put him in a cage and brought him to the king of Bavel to imprison him in a fortress, so that his roar would be heard no more on the mountains of Isra'el.

With hooks they caged him and brought him to the king of Babylon. They brought him into captivity so that his roar was heard no longer on the mountains of Israel.

And they put him in a cage with hooks, and brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into strongholds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.

Commentary on Ezekiel 19:9 KJV

Context of Ezekiel 19:9

Ezekiel 19 is a lamentation, a funeral dirge for the princes of Israel, presented as a parable of a lioness and her cubs. This poetic prophecy mourns the downfall of the Davidic monarchy and the tragic fate of its last kings. Verse 9 specifically describes the capture and deportation of one of these "cubs," symbolizing a king of Judah. This event is set against the backdrop of the Babylonian exile, a period of immense national distress for Israel, where the once-proud kingdom of Judah faced the devastating consequences of its unfaithfulness to God.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Judgment and Consequences: The verse vividly portrays the severe consequences of Judah's idolatry and the kings' failure to lead righteously. The capture and removal of the king were not random acts but part of God's sovereign judgment upon a disobedient nation.
  • Loss of Sovereignty: The phrase "that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel" powerfully symbolizes the complete cessation of independent rule and the loss of the king's authority and influence over his own land. It signifies the silencing of Judah's political and spiritual autonomy, marking the end of an era for the Davidic monarchy.
  • Exile and Captivity: The physical act of being "put him in ward in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon" highlights the harsh reality of forced deportation and imprisonment. This was the fate of several Judean kings, including Jehoiachin and Zedekiah, who were taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. For a detailed account of King Zedekiah's capture and the final fall of Jerusalem, see Jeremiah 52:11.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "ward" (מִשְׁמֶרֶת, mishmeret) here refers to a place of confinement or custody, indicating a secure prison. "Chains" (נְחֻשְׁתַּיִם, nechushtayim) specifically denotes bronze fetters, emphasizing the humiliating and inescapable nature of the imprisonment. The "mountains of Israel" (הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, harey Yisrael) is a common poetic and geographical reference in the Bible for the entire land of Israel, signifying that the king's influence and presence were utterly removed from his domain.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 19:9 serves as a stark reminder of the accountability of leadership and the grave consequences of straying from God's ways. For believers today, it underscores:

  • The Seriousness of Disobedience: Even those in positions of power are not exempt from divine judgment when they disregard God's commands. This applies to individual lives, communal leadership, and national governance.
  • The Fragility of Earthly Power: The verse illustrates how quickly human authority and influence can be stripped away, reminding us to place our ultimate trust in God's eternal kingdom rather than fleeting worldly power. As Psalm 146:3 warns, "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help."
  • The Importance of Righteous Leadership: The lament for the silenced voice of the king highlights the tragic loss when leaders fail to guide their people in righteousness, leading to national decline and judgment. It calls for discernment in choosing leaders and prayer for those in authority to act justly.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 2 Chronicles 36:6

    Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

  • Ezekiel 6:2

    Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,

  • Jeremiah 36:30

    Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.

  • Jeremiah 36:31

    And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.

  • 2 Kings 24:15

    And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, [those] carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.

  • Jeremiah 22:18

    Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah; They shall not lament for him, [saying], Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! they shall not lament for him, [saying], Ah lord! or, Ah his glory!

  • Jeremiah 22:19

    He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

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