Ezekiel 19:4 kjv
The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt.
Ezekiel 19:4 nkjv
The nations also heard of him; He was trapped in their pit, And they brought him with chains to the land of Egypt.
Ezekiel 19:4 niv
The nations heard about him, and he was trapped in their pit. They led him with hooks to the land of Egypt.
Ezekiel 19:4 esv
The nations heard about him; he was caught in their pit, and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.
Ezekiel 19:4 nlt
Then the nations heard about him,
and he was trapped in their pit.
They led him away with hooks
to the land of Egypt.
Ezekiel 19 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Ki 23:31-34 | Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king... Pharoah Necho put him in chains... brought him to Egypt... where he died. | Jehoahaz's specific capture and exile to Egypt. |
| Jer 22:10-12 | Do not weep for the dead king, but weep bitterly for the one who goes away, for he will never return or see his native land again. | Prophecy lamenting Shallum/Jehoahaz's irreversible exile. |
| Ezek 19:3 | She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a young lion. He learned to tear his prey and devoured men. | Introduction to the 'cub' (king) described in v.4. |
| Ezek 19:6-7 | She observed another cub; he grew into a fierce lion... devoured people and plundered their cities. | Subsequent king's similar predatory behavior. |
| 2 Ki 24:1-6 | Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king... he did evil... Jehoiakim was taken to Babylon. | Exile of a later king, demonstrating continued pattern. |
| 2 Chr 36:3-4 | The king of Egypt deposed him in Jerusalem and imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver... and made Eliakim king... | Historical record of Pharoah Necho's actions against Jehoahaz. |
| Jer 52:1-11 | Zedekiah was twenty-one years old... he rebelled against the king of Babylon... put out Zedekiah's eyes... bound him with bronze chains. | Final king's rebellion leading to capture and brutal exile. |
| Isa 14:19-20 | Like a despised branch... You will not be joined with them in burial... for you have destroyed your land. | Judgment and lack of proper burial for wicked rulers. |
| Jer 20:4-6 | I am going to make you a terror... Judah I will hand over to the king of Babylon, who will carry them into exile. | Prophecy of widespread exile and fear. |
| Hab 1:15 | He pulls them all up with hooks... gathers them in his net. | Similar imagery of capturing with hooks and nets. |
| Psa 57:6 | They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down; they have dug a pit before me. | Imagery of enemies preparing a pit/snare. |
| Psa 35:7-8 | For without cause they hid their net for me... let destruction come upon him when he does not know it. | Enemies' hidden traps and just retribution. |
| Psa 7:15-16 | He dug a pit, scooped it out, and fell into the hole he had made. His mischief will return upon his own head. | Trapper falling into his own trap (divine judgment). |
| Ecc 9:12 | Like fish caught in a cruel net, or like birds trapped in a snare, so people are often caught in a time of calamity. | Metaphor of sudden entrapment in disaster. |
| Amos 9:1-4 | Even if they hide on top of Carmel, I will search them out and seize them... | Divine pursuit and capture of those who try to escape judgment. |
| Isa 37:29 | Because of your raging against me and your arrogance that has come to my ears, I will put my hook in your nose. | God's act of leading (or humiliating) the proud. |
| Ezek 29:3-5 | I am against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt... I will put hooks in your jaws... and bring you up out of the midst of your rivers. | God's control and judgment over mighty nations using similar hook imagery. |
| Deut 28:36 | The Lord will bring you and your king... to a nation unknown... and there you will serve other gods. | Covenant curse of exile and foreign servitude. |
| Lam 4:20 | The breath of our nostrils, the Lord's anointed, was captured in their pits, he of whom we said, "Under his shadow we shall live among the nations." | Lament for a captured king, linking to Jehoahaz. |
| Jer 5:26-28 | For wicked men are found among My people... like fowlers, they set traps... They grow fat, they are sleek. | The wicked laying traps, showing a broader pattern of treachery. |
Ezekiel 19 verses
Ezekiel 19 4 Meaning
Ezekiel 19:4 vividly portrays the swift and humiliating downfall of a king from Judah's royal line. It describes how foreign nations, alerted by his actions or presence, trapped him in their snare and dragged him away as a captive, leading him to Egypt. This verse signifies the loss of royal authority, divine protection, and national sovereignty due to covenant disobedience, culminating in an ignominious exile.
Ezekiel 19 4 Context
Ezekiel 19 is a lament (or dirge/elegy) that the prophet Ezekiel is commanded by God to recite over the princes of Israel. This chapter uses the powerful allegory of a lioness and her cubs to represent the Davidic dynasty and its successive kings, specifically in Judah, and their respective fates. The chapter, situated during Judah's decline and exile, serves as a solemn declaration of God's judgment against the kingdom's corrupt leadership.
Verse 4 specifically focuses on the first "cub," who is widely identified by scholars with King Jehoahaz (also known as Shallum). Jehoahaz, a son of Josiah, reigned for only three months in 609 BC before being deposed by Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt and taken into exile there (2 Kings 23:31-34, 2 Chronicles 36:3-4). The "nations" here primarily refers to Egypt, which became the instrument of his downfall. The verse marks the tragic beginning of Judah's kings losing their sovereignty to foreign powers, paving the way for eventual Babylonian exile.
Ezekiel 19 4 Word analysis
- The nations: (Hebrew: goyim גּוֹיִם) – Plural noun for peoples, Gentiles, or nations. Here, it specifically refers to foreign powers, particularly Egypt, that observed Judah's leadership and intervened. This signifies Judah's diminished sovereignty, as foreign entities now had leverage and influence over its rulers.
- also heard of him: Implies not just knowledge, but an awareness of his character, actions, or even perceived threats from his short rule. Kings in the ancient Near East often had their reputations precede them, whether for good or ill. The notice implies a basis for intervention.
- he was caught: (Hebrew: niṭpaś נִתְפַּשׂ from tāphaś תָפַשׂ) – A passive form indicating being seized, captured, or taken hold of. It highlights his helplessness and lack of agency in the situation, suggesting an entrapment rather than a defeat in open combat.
- in their pit: (Hebrew: bĕshaḥăṭām בְּשַׁחַת מָם) – A "pit" (shaḥat שַׁחַת) commonly refers to a pitfall, a deep pit used as a snare or trap for hunting animals. This imagery is powerful, likening the king to an animal snared by hunters, implying cunning and overwhelming force from the "nations." It also metaphorically suggests falling into ruin or destruction. The "their" indicates the trap belonged to the nations, not God, although it fulfilled God's judgment.
- and they brought him: (Hebrew: wayĕvîʾuhu וַיְבִיאֻהוּ from bôʾ בּוֹא) – Emphasizes the forcible removal and transportation of the captured king. This was not a voluntary departure but an imposition by his captors.
- with hooks: (Hebrew: baḥaḥîm בַּחַחִים) – "Hooks" (ḥaḥîm חַחִים) are typically rings placed in the noses or lips of animals (like oxen or donkeys) to lead them, often forcefully, or a fish hook. In this context, it symbolizes the extreme humiliation, subjugation, and complete lack of resistance. It depicts him being led like a controlled animal. This imagery is also used for divine control over powerful foreign rulers (e.g., God putting a hook in the jaw of Pharaoh or Sennacherib).
- to the land of Egypt: (Hebrew: ʾel ʾereṣ Miṣrayim אֶל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם) – The specific destination confirms the historical identification with King Jehoahaz, who was exiled by Pharaoh Necho to Egypt. This contrasts with later exiles who were taken to Babylon. The return to Egypt, the place of Israel's ancient bondage, adds a layer of bitter irony to their newfound captivity.
Words-group analysis:
- "The nations also heard of him; he was caught in their pit": This phrase highlights the interconnectedness of ancient Near Eastern politics. The king's conduct did not go unnoticed, leading to international intervention and entrapment. It shows that internal actions had external consequences, making Judah vulnerable.
- "and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt": This sequence encapsulates the absolute power and humiliation involved. The "hooks" signify utter subjugation, reducing the king from a powerful lion to a led animal. The specific destination, Egypt, closes the loop on the historical event, signaling a new chapter of subjugation for the Davidic line.
Ezekiel 19 4 Bonus section
The metaphor of a "lion's cub" for a king was not uncommon in the ancient Near East, symbolizing strength, nobility, and predatory power. However, in Ezekiel's lament, this imagery is subverted. Instead of glorifying the king's power, it points to his tyrannical behavior ("devoured men" in Ezek 19:3) and ultimately his weakness and vulnerability when confronted by stronger foreign "hunters." The use of the hunting trap, "pit" (shaḥat), resonates with prophetic condemnations where the wicked fall into their own snares (e.g., Prov 26:27, Eccl 10:8), or here, fall into the snare laid by a foreign power sanctioned by God. This foreshadows a consistent theme throughout the book of Ezekiel and Jeremiah, where Judah's leaders are depicted as unfaithful shepherds whose neglect and violence lead their flock (the people) into danger and captivity, not salvation.
Ezekiel 19 4 Commentary
Ezekiel 19:4, embedded within a prophetic lament, encapsulates the grim reality of Judah's failed leadership and divine judgment. The "lion's cub" represents a specific Judean king, primarily understood as Jehoahaz/Shallum, whose brief reign was marked by injustice (as implied by the larger context of a predatory cub) that drew the attention of the surrounding powers. His capture by "nations" (Pharaoh Necho of Egypt) and subsequent transportation "with hooks" vividly underscores his utter helplessness and public humiliation. This wasn't merely a political overthrow but a graphic act of dehumanization, stripping the king of his dignity and sovereign power, reducing him to an animal dragged to its doom. The choice of "Egypt" as the place of exile is poignantly ironic, as Israel had been delivered from Egyptian bondage generations prior, only to see its own king dragged back, signifying a complete reversal of divine favor due to covenant infidelity. The verse serves as a stark warning against self-reliance and injustice, illustrating that the Lord allows foreign nations to act as instruments of His righteous judgment when His people, especially their leaders, stray from His ways.