TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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.
American Standard Version
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.
World English Bible Messianic
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 on the mountains of Israel.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And they put him in prison and in chaines, and brought him to the King of Babel, and they put him in holdes, that his voyce should no more be heard vpon the mountaines of Israel.
Young's Literal Translation
And they put it in prison--in chains, And they bring it unto the king of Babylon, They bring it in unto bulwarks, So that its voice is not heard any more On mountains of Israel.
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In the KJVVerse 20,891 of 31,102
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Commentary on Ezekiel 19 verses 1–9
1 ¶ Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,
2 And say, What is thy mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions.
3 And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.
4 The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt.
5 Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion.
6 And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men.
7 And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring.
8 Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit.
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.
Here are, I. Orders given to the prophet to bewail the fall of the royal family, which had long made so great a figure by virtue of a covenant of royalty made with David and his seed, so that the eclipsing and extinguishing of it are justly lamented by all who know what value to put upon the covenant of our God, as we find, after a very large account of that covenant with David (Psa 89:3, Psa 89:20, etc.), a sad lamentation for the decays and desolations of his family (v. 38, 39): But thou hast cast off and abhorred, hast made void the covenant of thy servant and profaned his crown, etc. The kings of Judah are here called princes of Israel; for their glory was diminished and they had become but as princes, and their purity was lost; they had become corrupt and idolatrous as the kings of Israel, whose ways they had learned. The prophet must take up a lamentation for them; that is, he must describe their lamentable fall as one that did himself lay it to heart, and desired that those he preached and wrote to might do so to. And how can we expect that others should be affected with that which we ourselves are not affected with? Ministers, when they boldly foretel, must yet bitterly lament the destruction of sinners, as those that have not desired the woeful day. He is not directed to give advice to the princes of Israel (that had been long and often done in vain), but, the decree having gone forth, he must take up a lamentation for them.
II. Instructions given him what to say. 1. He must compare the kingdom of Judah to a lioness, so wretchedly degenerated was it from what it had been formerly, when it sat as a queen among the nations, Eze 19:2. What is thy mother? thine, O king? (we read of Solomon's crown wherewith his mother crowned him, that is, his people, Sol 3:11), thine, O Judah? The royal family is as a mother to the kingdom, a nursing mother. She is a lioness, fierce, and cruel, and ravenous. When they had left their divinity they soon lost their humanity too; and, when they feared not God, neither did they regard man. She lay down among lions. God had said, The people shall dwell alone, but they mingled with the nations and learned their works. She nourished her whelps among young lions, taught the young princes the way of tyrants, which was then used by the arbitrary kings of the east, filled their heads betimes with notions of their absolute despotic power, and possessed them with a belief that they had a right to enslave their subjects, that their liberty and property lay at their mercy: thus she nourished her whelps among young lions. 2. He must compare the kings of Judah to lions' whelps, Eze 19:3. Jacob had compared Judah, and especially the house of David, to a lion's whelp, for its being strong and formidable to its enemies abroad (Gen 49:9, He is an old lion; who shall stir him up?) and, if they had adhered to the divine law and promise, God would have preserved to them the might, and majesty, and dominion of a lion, and does it in Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. But these lions' whelps were so to their own subjects, were cruel and oppressive to them, preyed upon their estates and liberties; and, when they thus by their tyranny made themselves a terror to those whom they ought to have protected, it was just with God to make those a terror to them whom otherwise they might have subdued. Here is lamented, (1.) The sin and fall of Jehoahaz, one of the whelps of this lioness. He became a young lion (Eze 19:3); he was made king, and thought he was made so that he might do what he pleased, and gratify his own ambition, covetousness, and revenge, as he had a mind; and so he was soon master of all the arts of tyranny; he learned to catch the prey and devoured men. When he got power into his hand, all that had before in any thing disobliged him were made to feel his resentments and become a sacrifice to his rage. But what came of it? He did not prosper long in his tyranny: The nations heard of him (Eze 19:4), heard how furiously he drove at his first coming to the crown, how he trampled upon all that is just and sacred, and violated all his engagements, so that they looked upon him as a dangerous neighbour, and prosecuted him accordingly, as a multitude of shepherds is called forth against a lion roaring on his prey, Isa 31:4. And he was taken, as a beast of prey, in their pit. His own subjects durst not stand up in defence of their liberties, but God raised up a foreign power that soon put an end to his tyranny, and brought him in chains to the land of Egypt. Thither Jehoahaz was carried captive, and never heard of more. (2.) The like sin and fall of his successor Jehoiakim. The kingdom of Judah for some time expected the return of Jehoahaz out of Egypt, but at length despaired of it, and then took another of the lion's whelps, and made him a young lion, Eze 19:5. And he, instead of taking warning by his brother's fate to use his power with equity and moderation, and to seek the good of his people, trod in his brother's steps: He went up and down among the lions, Eze 19:6. He consulted and conversed with those that were fierce and furious like himself, and took his measures from them, as Rehoboam took the advice of the rash and hot-headed young men. And he soon learned to catch the prey, and he devoured men (Eze 19:6); he seized his subjects' estates, fined and imprisoned them, filled his treasury by rapine and injustice, sequestrations and confiscations, fines and forfeitures, and swallowed up all that stood in his way. He had got the art of discovering what effects men had that lay concealed, and where the treasures were which they had hoarded up; he knew their desolate places (Eze 19:7), where they his their money and sometimes hid themselves; he knew where to find both out; and by his oppression he laid waste their cities, depopulated them by forcing the inhabitants to remove their families to some place of safety. The land was desolate, and the country villages were deserted; and though there was great plenty, and a fulness of all good things, yet people quitted it all for fear of the noise of his roaring. He took a pride in making all his subjects afraid of him, as the lion makes all the beasts of the forest to tremble (Amo 3:8), and by his terrible roaring so astonished them that they fell down for fear, and, having not spirit to make their escape, became an easy prey to him, as they say the lions do. He hectored, and threatened, and talked big, and bullied people out of what they had. Thus he thought to establish his own power, but it had a contrary effect, it did but hasten his own ruin (Eze 19:8): The nations set against him on every side, to restrain and reduce his exorbitant power, which they joined in confederacy to do for their common safety; and they spread their net over him, formed designs against him. God brought against Jehoiakim bands of the Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites, with the Chaldees (Kg2 24:2), and he was taken in their pit. Nebuchadnezzar bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon, Ch2 36:6. They put this lion within grates, bound him in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon, Ch2 36:9. What became of him we know not; but his voice was nowhere heard roaring upon the mountains of Israel. There was an end of his tyranny: he was buried with the burial of an ass (Jer 22:19), though he had been as a lion, the terror of the mighty in the land of the living. Note, The righteousness of God is to be acknowledged when those who have terrified and enslaved others are themselves terrified and enslaved, when those who by the abuse of their power to destruction which was given them for edification make themselves as wild beasts, as roaring lions and ranging bears (for such, Solomon says, wicked rulers are over the poor people, Pro 28:15), are treated as such - when those who, like Ishmael, have their hand against every man, come at last to have every man's hand against them. It was long since observed that bloody tyrants seldom die in peace, but have blood given them to drink, for they are worthy.
Ad generum Cereris sine caede et sanguine pauci
Descendunt reges et sicca morte tyranni -
How few of all the boastful men that reign
Descend in peace to Pluto's dark domain!
- Juvenal
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–9. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Chapter 19, verses 1 onwards) And you, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, and say: Why did your mother, a lioness, lie down among lions? In the midst of young lions she raised her cubs. And one of her cubs grew up, he became a lion and learned to catch prey and devour men. The nations heard about him and captured him in their own traps, and they brought him with chains to the land of Egypt. When she saw that she had been frustrated and her hope was lost, she took one of her cubs and made him a lion. He who walked among lions, became a lion. He learned to capture prey and devour men. He learned to make widows and turn their cities into deserts, and the land was laid waste, and its fullness, by the roar of his voice. And nations from all provinces gathered against him and spread their nets over him; he was captured in their wounds. And they put him in a cage, they led him in chains to the king of Babylon, and they sent him to prison so that his voice would no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel. LXX: And you shall take up a lamentation for the prince of Israel, and you shall say: What was your mother's lioness? She has grown up among lions and has brought up her cubs among lions. And one of her cubs has come up: he has become a lion, and he has learned to catch the prey. He devours people, and the nations have heard of him. He has been trapped in their pits, and they have brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt. And when she saw that she was taken captive and her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made him a lion. And he went about among lions. He became a lion, and learned to seize prey. He devoured men, and fed on their audacity. He brought their cities to desolation, and laid waste to the land and its abundance with the sound of his roaring. Nations from all around set traps for him, and spread their nets over him. He was captured in their corruption, and they put him in a cage. He was brought to the king of Babylon in chains, and they brought him into prison, so that his voice would no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel. I know that in this place I have read a multitude of explanations, and hindered by such obscurities, that it has not so much revealed as enveloped the reading, while all the writings refer to opposing strengths, and in heavenly Jerusalem describes lions and battles: how one of them is captured, and another is placed in his stead, and he provides many testimonies: that the devil and his companions are often called lions, as in that passage about the apostle Peter: Our adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8); and in the Psalms: Do not give the soul of your confession to wild beasts (Psalm 73:19). Certainly, when it comes to history, it is said that Johanan, the son of Carea, was taken to Egypt: how he was called a lion while fleeing with a few, I do not know; and the other lion, Zedekiah, who was also taken to Babylon. However, leaving such explanations to the judgment of the reader, let us say that the prophet predicts not so much the future as he narrates the past. For after the sixth year of Zedekiah (for immediately afterwards we read: And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day) a lamentation is made over the princes, or over the prince of Israel, and it is said: Why has your mother the lioness lain among the lions? Therefore, the lamentation is over the princes, namely all those who are descended from the line of Josiah. The mother of the princes of Jerusalem is called a lioness, who gave birth to and nursed little lions: and she brought up one of her little lions, and made him a lion, signifying Joachaz the son of Josiah, whom Pharaoh Neco took to Egypt, and in his place made Joakim. After his death, Jechoniah his son was made king, and he was carried off to Babylon with his mother and the nobles of the city by Nebuchadnezzar: and from him is born Salathiel, the father of Zerubbabel, who received his name because he was born in Babylon (2 Kings 23). And it is clear that under the metaphor of the lioness, lion cubs, and lion, and again of another lion, those things which had already happened at that time when this prophet was speaking are described. For after he had taken Jerusalem from the royal lineage of Joachaz son of Josiah and made him king, he became so cruel in a short time that he is said to have metaphorically seized prey and devoured men. When an Egyptian came to him, he captured him not without wounds, either in a pit, as is specifically stated in Hebrew, in order to preserve the metaphorical capture of lions, which are always caught in pits. And he brought him in chains or shackles to the land of Egypt, and there he died. When his mother, who had borne him, who had raised him, who had established him as king, saw this, her hope was destroyed. She took one of the other kings, Jechoniah, son of Jehoiakim, and made him king. He, imitating the cruelty of his predecessor, is described as savage like a lion, as he devoured men, made many widows, led cities to ruin; and at the sound of his roar, the whole province was terrified, so that nations gathered around him, spread their nets over him, captured him in a pit, put him in a cage and in chains. Not that Jechoniah experienced this, for he himself surrendered to the king of Babylon and was carried off to Chaldea; but this translation is kept like that of a lion, who is caught in pits, bound in chains, and kept in cages. Furthermore, according to history: we read this about Zedekiah, who was appointed king of Jerusalem after Jehoiachin. And this is the reason why, because chains are mentioned, and a cage, and a prison is named, most people understand it to refer to Zedekiah rather than Jehoiachin. Therefore, he was saved in prison, not killed, and only removed from the kingdom. However, the history tells us that Zedekiah, being blind, was taken to Babylon, and there he was immediately killed.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 19:9, a poignant segment of a prophetic lament, vividly depicts the capture and subsequent deportation of a Judean king, likening him to a young lion ensnared and silenced. This verse serves as a powerful declaration of the abrupt end of the Davidic monarchy's independent rule and the devastating consequences of national covenant infidelity, culminating in the king's forced removal from his homeland and the complete cessation of his royal authority upon the mountains of Israel.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Ezekiel 19 is structured as a funeral dirge or lamentation (Hebrew: qinah), specifically mourning the "princes of Israel" (Ezekiel 19:1). The chapter employs a sustained metaphor of a majestic lioness raising her cubs, with each cub representing a successive king from the Davidic lineage. The first "cub" (likely Jehoahaz) is captured and taken to Egypt (Ezekiel 19:4), while the second, the focus of verse 9, represents a later king, probably Jehoiachin or Zedekiah, who faced capture and exile to Babylon. This poetic framework allows Ezekiel to express profound sorrow over the downfall of the monarchy and the nation's lost sovereignty, transforming a political catastrophe into a deeply personal and emotional tragedy for the royal house and, by extension, for all Judah. The lament's structure, often characterized by a 3+2 or 2+2 beat, emphasizes the brokenness and sorrow of the events described.
Historical & Cultural Context: The historical setting for Ezekiel 19:9 is the turbulent period of the Babylonian exile, a direct consequence of Judah's persistent spiritual apostasy and political maneuvering. The Neo-Babylonian Empire, under Nebuchadnezzar, had asserted its dominance over Judah. The verse's reference to a king being "brought him to the king of Babylon" directly alludes to historical events such as the first major deportation in 597 BC, when King Jehoiachin was taken to Babylon along with many nobles and skilled craftsmen, as recorded in 2 Kings 24:10-16. Later, the final destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC saw King Zedekiah captured and brought before Nebuchadnezzar in Riblah, where he witnessed the execution of his sons before being blinded and taken to Babylon (Jeremiah 52:8-11). The practice of putting captives "in ward in chains" and "into holds" was a common, humiliating display of subjugation, designed to break the spirit of the vanquished and prevent any further resistance, serving as a stark symbol of the complete loss of freedom, dignity, and sovereignty for the once-revered monarch.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes prevalent throughout the book of Ezekiel and the broader prophetic corpus. Foremost is the theme of Divine Judgment upon Israel for its persistent covenant infidelity, particularly the failure of its leadership to uphold righteousness and justice. The "silencing" of the king's voice starkly signifies the Loss of Sovereignty and Authority, marking the definitive end of Judah's independent kingdom and the Davidic dynasty's direct rule from Jerusalem. Furthermore, it underscores the harsh reality of Exile and Captivity, a central and traumatic experience for the Judean people during Ezekiel's ministry, emphasizing the physical and spiritual displacement from their promised land, as a fulfillment of ancient prophetic warnings found in passages like Deuteronomy 28:36. The lament also subtly highlights the Consequences of Unrighteous Leadership, demonstrating how the moral and spiritual failures of those in power directly precipitate national catastrophe and suffering.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 19:9 is profoundly rich in literary devices that amplify its somber and tragic message. The entire chapter functions as an extended Lamentation or funeral dirge, imbuing the text with a tone of profound sorrow, loss, and despair over the fate of the Davidic monarchy. The most prominent device, though not explicitly stated in verse 9 itself, is the overarching Metaphor of the king as a "young lion" or "cub" (from the broader context of Ezekiel 19:1-8), which informs the understanding of "him" in this verse, emphasizing his royal lineage, strength, and potential for power, now tragically curtailed. The "chains" and "holds" serve as potent Symbols of captivity, humiliation, and the stripping away of sovereignty, visually conveying the king's utter subjugation. The phrase "that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel" employs powerful Symbolism and Metonymy. The "voice" stands metonymically for the king's authority, his proclamations, his leadership, and his very presence as ruler, while "the mountains of Israel" symbolize the entire land, its people, and the seat of his former power. The silencing of the voice is a dramatic Hyperbole that underscores the absolute and permanent cessation of his rule and influence, conveying the devastating finality of Judah's political and spiritual collapse.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 19:9 stands as a stark and somber testament to the principle of divine judgment and the severe consequences of covenant infidelity, particularly for those entrusted with positions of leadership. The silencing of the king's voice upon the mountains of Israel is not merely a political defeat but a profound theological statement about God's sovereign hand in history, allowing the downfall of a disobedient monarchy. It highlights the inherent fragility of earthly power when divorced from divine righteousness and serves as a powerful reminder that accountability extends even to the highest echelons of leadership. The lament underscores the sorrowful reality that when those entrusted with spiritual and political guidance fail in their duties to God and His people, the entire nation suffers the repercussions, leading to a devastating loss of freedom, national identity, and the very presence of their rightful, God-ordained leadership. This judgment serves as a painful, yet necessary, step in God's redemptive plan, clearing the way for a future restoration rooted in true faithfulness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 19:9 offers profound and enduring lessons for contemporary believers and leaders alike. It serves as a sobering reminder that all earthly power and authority, no matter how great or seemingly secure, is ultimately transient and subject to divine oversight and judgment. The vivid imagery of the king's voice being silenced challenges us to deeply consider the impact and nature of our own "voices" – our influence, our words, our leadership, and our witness – within our respective spheres of influence. Are we speaking truth, advocating for justice, and promoting righteousness, or are we contributing to spiritual decline, moral compromise, or societal decay? For those called to leadership, whether in the church, the community, the workplace, or the family, this verse underscores the immense weight of responsibility to lead with integrity, humility, and unwavering adherence to God's principles. It reminds us that failure to do so can have far-reaching and devastating consequences for those under our care, echoing the national catastrophe depicted in Ezekiel. Ultimately, this passage calls us to a posture of profound humility and a redirection of our ultimate trust; our security and hope must be firmly anchored in God's eternal kingdom and His unfailing sovereignty, rather than in fleeting human authority, institutions, or personal influence.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who is "him" in Ezekiel 19:9?
Answer: While not explicitly named in this specific verse, the "him" refers to one of the last kings of Judah, symbolically depicted as a "lion's cub" within the broader lament of Ezekiel 19. Most biblical scholars identify him as either King Jehoiachin, who was taken captive to Babylon in 597 BC during the first major deportation (as detailed in 2 Kings 24:10-16), or King Zedekiah, who was captured and brought to Babylon after the final fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC (see Jeremiah 52:8-11). The lament likely encompasses the tragic and cumulative fate of the Davidic monarchy as a whole, mourning its demise.
What is the significance of the king's "voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel"?
Answer: This phrase is profoundly symbolic and carries immense theological weight. It signifies the complete, absolute, and permanent cessation of the king's authority, influence, and independent rule over the land of Israel. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a king's voice represented his decrees, his commands, his proclamations, and his very presence as the sovereign ruler. For it to be silenced "upon the mountains of Israel" (a poetic and holistic reference to the entire land and its people) means that the Davidic monarchy's independent power, its capacity to govern from Jerusalem, and its ability to exert any meaningful influence within its own domain had come to an absolute and irreversible end. It marks the devastating reality of foreign subjugation, the loss of national sovereignty, and the fulfillment of divine judgment against a disobedient leadership and nation.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 19:9, with its poignant depiction of an earthly king silenced and removed from his throne, finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment not in the defeat of a righteous monarch, but paradoxically, in the ultimate triumph of the true King, Jesus Christ. While the earthly kings of Judah failed in their covenant responsibilities and were consequently silenced due to their unfaithfulness, Jesus, the promised Son of David, willingly submitted to humiliation and an apparent silencing on the cross. He was indeed "put in ward in chains" (both spiritually bound by human sin and physically by Roman authority) and "brought to" earthly powers for judgment. Yet, His "silencing" was not a defeat but a strategic, redemptive act. His voice, seemingly stilled in death, was resurrected with ultimate power and authority, fulfilling prophecies of a King whose reign would be eternal and whose voice would never be silenced. Unlike the Judean kings whose authority ceased upon the mountains of Israel, Christ's authority extends over all creation, from the "mountains" of earth to the highest heavens, as He declared in Matthew 28:18. His kingdom, unlike the fleeting earthly monarchy, is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away (Daniel 7:14), and His voice, the authoritative and life-giving voice of the Good Shepherd, continues to call His sheep across all nations and generations (see John 10:27). Thus, the lament over a silenced earthly king ultimately points to the glorious, un-silenceable, and eternal reign of the King of kings, whose voice brings life, salvation, and everlasting peace.