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A Sad Song for Israel

19 “Sing a ·funeral song [lament; dirge] for the ·leaders [princes] of Israel. Say:

‘Your mother was a lioness [C referring either to the Davidic dynasty or to Hamutal, the wife of Josiah and mother of Jehoahaz and Zedekiah; Gen. 49:9; 2 Kin. 23:31–34].
She lay down among the young lions [C the kings of Judah].
    She ·had many [reared her] cubs.
When she ·brought up [reared] one of her cubs,
    he became a ·strong [L young] lion [C King Jehoahaz; 2 Kin. 23:31–34; Jer. 22:10–12].
He learned to tear ·the animals he hunted [prey],
    and he ·ate [devoured] people.
The nations heard about him.
    He was trapped in their pit,
and they brought him with hooks
    to the land of Egypt.
“‘The mother lion waited and saw
    that there was no hope for her cub.
So she took another one of her cubs
    and made him a ·strong [L young] lion [C either Jehoiachin (2 Kin. 24:8) or Zedekiah (2 Kin. 25:7)].
This cub ·roamed [prowled] among the lions.
    He was now a ·strong [L young] lion.
He learned to tear ·the animals he hunted [prey],
    and he ·ate [devoured] people.
He tore down their ·strong places [strongholds; fortresses]
    and ·destroyed [devastated] their cities.
The land and everything in it
    were terrified by the sound of his roar.
Then the nations came against him
    from areas all around,
and they spread their net over him.
    He was trapped in their pit.
Then they put him into a ·cage with chains [collar]
    and brought him to the king of Babylon.
They put him into prison
    so his ·roar [voice] could not be heard again
    on the mountains of Israel [2 Kin. 24:8–17; 2 Chr. 36:8–10].

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