Commentary on Ezekiel Chapters 1-20 John Calvin (continued)
Ezekiel 19
CHAPTER 19
Ezekiel 19:1-4
1. Moreover take you up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,
1. Et tu tolle lamentu 508 super 509 principes Israel,
2. And say, What is thy mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions.
2. Et dices, Quare mater vestra leaena inter leones occubuit? in medio leonum educavit catulos suos.
3. And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.
3. Et sustulit unum e catulis suis, leo factus est, et didicit praedari praedam, homines comedit. 510
4. The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt.
4. Et audierunt de ipso Gentes, in fovea ipsarum captus est; et abduxerunt in cathenis in terram AEgypti.
Here the Prophet, under the image of a lion, informs us that whatever evils happened to the Israelites could not be imputed to others. We must understand then his intention: it is not surprising that the Spirit of God insists on a matter not very obscure, since nothing is more obstinate than the pride of men, especially when God chastises them, although they pretend to humility and modesty, yet they swell with pride and are full of bitterness, and, lastly, they can scarcely be induced to confess
God to be just, and that they deserve chastisement at his hand. For this reason, therefore, Ezekiel confirms what we formerly saw, that the Jews were not afflicted
508Or, "a mournful song." — Calvin. 509Or, "against." — Calvin. 510Or, "devoured." — Calvin.