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Ezekiel 19
New International Reader's Version
Ezekiel 19
New International Reader's Version
A Song of Sadness About Israel’s Princes
19 “Sing a song of sadness about Israel’s princes. 2 Say to Israel,
“ ‘You were like a mother lion to your princes.
She lay down among the lions.
She brought up her cubs.
3 One of them was Jehoahaz.
He became a strong lion.
He learned to tear apart what he caught.
And he became a man-eater.
4 The nations heard about him.
They trapped him in their pit.
They put hooks in his face.
And they led him away to Egypt.
5 “ ‘The mother lion looked and waited.
But all her hope was gone.
So she got another one of her cubs.
She made him into a strong lion.
6 He prowled with the lions.
He became very strong.
He learned to tear apart what he caught.
And he became a man-eater.
7 He broke down their forts.
He completely destroyed their towns.
The land and all those who were in it
were terrified when he roared.
8 Then nations came against him.
They came from all around him.
They spread out their net to catch him.
He was trapped in their pit.
9 They used hooks to pull him into a cage.
They brought him to the king of Babylon.
They put him in prison.
So his roar was not heard anymore
on the mountains of Israel.
10 “ ‘Israel, you were like a vine in a vineyard.
It was planted near water.
It had a lot of fruit and many branches.
There was plenty of water.
11 Its branches were strong.
Each was good enough to be made into a ruler’s scepter.
The vine grew high
above all the leaves.
It stood out because it was so tall
and had so many branches.
12 But Nebuchadnezzar became angry.
He pulled it up by its roots.
He threw it to the ground.
The east wind dried it up.
Its fruit was stripped off.
Its strong branches dried up.
And fire destroyed them.
13 Now it is planted in the Babylonian desert.
It is in a dry and thirsty land.
14 One of its main branches was Zedekiah.
Fire spread from it and burned up its fruit.
None of its branches is good enough
to be made into a ruler’s scepter.’
This is a song of sadness. And that is how it should be used.”
Ezekiel 19
EasyEnglish Bible
Ezekiel 19
EasyEnglish Bible
19 ‘Sing this sad funeral song for the leaders of Israel.
2 Say this:
“Your mother was like a great lion among the other lions.
She lay among strong young lions.
She helped her children to grow safely.
3 She taught one of her children to catch animals for food.
As he grew, he started to eat people.
4 The people of other nations heard about him.
They dug a hole and they caught him in their trap.
They put hooks in him and they took him to Egypt.
5 His mother waited for him to return home.
He did not come and she stopped hoping for him.
She helped another of her sons to become a strong young lion.
6 He grew to be strong among the other lions.
He learned to catch wild animals and to eat them.
He also learned to eat people.
7 He attacked their strong buildings and he destroyed their cities.
When he roared, the noise frightened everyone in the land.
8 Men from other nations near there came to attack him.
They threw a net over him.
They caught him in their trap.
9 They tied hooks around his neck.
They took him to the king of Babylon.
There they put him in prison to stop him roaring.
The people on the hills of Israel could not hear his voice any longer.
10 Your mother was like a vine that was growing near a stream.
It grew well because there was plenty of water there.
It made many branches and it had a lot of fruit.
11 Its branches became big and strong.
They were strong enough to make a ruler's stick of authority.
The vine grew taller than all the other trees around it.
Everyone could see that it was very tall and strong.
12 But the Lord became angry with that vine.
He pulled up its roots and he threw it down to the ground.
The east wind made it dry and destroyed its fruit.
Its strong branches broke and they became useless.
Fire destroyed them.
13 Now that vine is growing in a desert.
It is in a hot, dry place where there is no water.
14 Fire started to burn its strongest branch.
From there the fire destroyed its other branches and its fruit.
No strong branch remained in the vine.
Now there was nothing to make a ruler's stick of authority.”
This is a funeral song. It tells a very sad story.’
Ezekiel 19
International Standard Version
Ezekiel 19
International Standard Version
A Prophecy against Israel’s Nobles
19 “Now as for you, publish[a] this mourning psalm about Israel’s leaders. 2 Tell them:
‘What a lioness your mother was among lions!
She reared her cubs in the midst of fierce young males.
3 She raised one cub in particular,
teaching that fierce lion to become a hunter-prowler—
to eat human beings.
4 The nations heard about him.
He had become caught in their trap.[b]
They brought him with hooks
to the land of Egypt.
5 When she learned that her plans had been frustrated
and that her hopes were dashed,
she took another of her cubs
and turned him into a fierce lion.
6 He prowled around among the lions,
became a strong, young lion,
and learned to become a hunter-prowler—
to eat human beings.
7 He raped[c] the women,
devastating their towns.
The land was made desolate,
and all the while the land was filled
with the sound of his roaring.
8 The surrounding nations attacked.
They tossed their net over him,
and he was caught in their trap.[d]
9 They imprisoned him in a cage with hooks
and brought him to the king of Babel.
Then they placed him in their dungeon
where his voice would no longer be heard
on the mountains of Israel.
10 ‘Your mother was like a vine
entwining a pomegranate,[e]
planted by water, full of fruit,
and full of branches
because it had been watered generously.
11 Strong were its boughs,
suitable for use in the scepter of a ruler.
It reached to the clouds,
noticeable because of its height
and its abundant branches.
12 Yet in anger it was uprooted
and cast down to the earth.
An east wind desiccated its fruit;
its strong branches broke off and withered,
and a fire consumed them.
13 Now it is planted in the desert,
in a dry and thirsty land!
14 Fire had burned through its branches,
consuming its shoots and fruits.
No strong branches remain in it,
and there is no scepter to rule!’
“This is a lamentation, and it is to be used in mourning.”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 19:1 Lit. sound forth
- Ezekiel 19:4 Lit. pit
- Ezekiel 19:7 Lit. knew
- Ezekiel 19:8 Lit. pit
- Ezekiel 19:10 So LXX; MT reads in your blood, misreading the Heb. a pomegranate
Ezekiel 19
New International Version
Ezekiel 19
New International Version
A Lament Over Israel’s Princes
19 “Take up a lament(A) concerning the princes(B) of Israel 2 and say:
“‘What a lioness(C) was your mother
among the lions!
She lay down among them
and reared her cubs.(D)
3 She brought up one of her cubs,
and he became a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
and he became a man-eater.
4 The nations heard about him,
and he was trapped in their pit.
They led him with hooks(E)
to the land of Egypt.(F)
5 “‘When she saw her hope unfulfilled,
her expectation gone,
she took another of her cubs(G)
and made him a strong lion.(H)
6 He prowled among the lions,
for he was now a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
and he became a man-eater.(I)
7 He broke down[a] their strongholds
and devastated(J) their towns.
The land and all who were in it
were terrified by his roaring.
8 Then the nations(K) came against him,
those from regions round about.
They spread their net(L) for him,
and he was trapped in their pit.(M)
9 With hooks(N) they pulled him into a cage
and brought him to the king of Babylon.(O)
They put him in prison,
so his roar(P) was heard no longer
on the mountains of Israel.(Q)
10 “‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard[b](R)
planted by the water;(S)
it was fruitful and full of branches
because of abundant water.(T)
11 Its branches were strong,
fit for a ruler’s scepter.
It towered high
above the thick foliage,
conspicuous for its height
and for its many branches.(U)
12 But it was uprooted(V) in fury
and thrown to the ground.
The east wind(W) made it shrivel,
it was stripped of its fruit;
its strong branches withered
and fire consumed them.(X)
13 Now it is planted in the desert,(Y)
in a dry and thirsty land.(Z)
14 Fire spread from one of its main[c] branches
and consumed(AA) its fruit.
No strong branch is left on it
fit for a ruler’s scepter.’(AB)
“This is a lament(AC) and is to be used as a lament.”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 19:7 Targum (see Septuagint); Hebrew He knew
- Ezekiel 19:10 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts your blood
- Ezekiel 19:14 Or from under its
New International Reader's Version (NIRV) 
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