Ezekiel 19:4

Eze 19:4 The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt.

Ver. 4. The nations also heard of him.] His lion-like disposition and practices were soon noised and noticed.

He was taken in their pit.] As lions are taken by their hunters. Tyrants hold not their own long those beasts are "made to be taken and destroyed"; as Nero, whom the senate judged to death as an enemy to mankind; {a} and as Commodus, who was, saith Orosius, cunctis incommodus, a mischief to mankind.

{a} Ex condicto omnes conveniunt ut eum capiant.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, 2 Kings 23:33.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

The nations--Egypt, in the case of Jehoahaz, who probably provoked Pharaoh by trying to avenge the death of his father by assailing the bordering cities of Egypt (Kg2 23:29-30).

in their pit--image from the pitfalls used for catching wild beasts (Jer 22:11-12).

chains--or hooks, which were fastened in the noses of wild beasts (see on Eze 19:9).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 4. The nations also heard of him] The king of Egypt, whose subjects were of divers nations, marched against Jerusalem, took Jehoahaz prisoner, and brought him to Egypt. Thus -

He was taken in their pit] Here is an allusion to those trap-pits digged in forests, into which the wild beasts fall, when the huntsmen, surrounding a given portion of the forest, drive the beasts in; by degrees narrowing the inclosure, till the animals come to the place where the pits are, which, being lightly covered over with branches and turf, are not perceived, and the beasts tread on them and fall in. Jehoahaz reigned only three months before he was dethroned by the king of Egypt, against whom it is apparent some craft was used, here signified by the pit, into which he fell.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

He afterwards adds, that the nations had heard, and were taken in their pit-fall. Here Ezekiel states that Jehoahaz was hurled from the royal throne, and taken captive by the Egyptians, not only because God had beheld his cruelty, but because the Gentiles had observed it; and it was notorious among them all. In this way he signifies that the cruelty of King Jehoahaz was intolerable: and he mentions him, since all the neighboring nations had heard of his fame, and had conspired to destroy him; and so he was taken in their pit, and confined by chains, and led away into Egypt. He means, as I said, Jehoahaz, whom King Pharaoh-nechoh took captive. (2 Kings 23; 2 Chronicles 36.) For when he thought that the Egyptians were distracted by foreign wars, he took the opportunity of collecting an army, and endeavored to seize on certain neighboring cities. But Pharaoh, after he was disengaged from other business, entered Judea, and since Jehoahaz was unable to resist, he was taken. We now understand the Prophet’s meaning, namely, when this first calamity and destruction happened to the Jews they were justly chastised, because they were young lions; and a lion had sprung from them whose cruelty was already intolerable to the profane Gentiles: this is the sense of the passage. Now if we consider who was the father of Jehoahaz this will be more detestable. For we know, that if ever any king excelled in piety and every virtue, Josiah was among the number: and from the son being so unlike his father, we perceive his perverse disposition. There can be no doubt that his father desired to instruct him in the fear and worship of God, and to train him to the discharge of the royal office. But if we descend to the whole people, the prodigy will be yet more detestable. For we know with what fervor and zeal Josiah strove to form the morals of the people, so that the kingdom should be entirely renewed. But the people soon declined, so that the Holy Spirit says, their mother was a lioness, and lay down among lions, whence we see their depraved nature. It now follows —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(4) Brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt.—Jehoahaz was conquered by Pharaohnecho, deposed, and carried captive (2Ki_23:33; 2Ch_36:4). “Chains” is literally nose-rings, keeping up the figure of the lion. In the first part of the verse also there is allusion to the custom of assembling the neighbourhood to secure a lion or other wild beast.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The nations also heard of him,.... The neighbouring nations, particularly the Egyptians; the fame of his behaviour reached them; they were informed how he used his own subjects, and what designs he had formed, and what preparations he was making against his neighbours; wherefore they thought it proper to oppose his measures in time, and to hinder him from proceeding and putting his projects into execution, by coming out against him, and fighting with him, as they did:

he was taken in their pit; alluding to the manner of hunting and taking lions, and such like beasts of prey; which was done by digging pits, and covering the mouths of them with straw, as Jarchi observes, into which in their flight they fell unawares: so Pharaohnecho king of Egypt came out against Jehoahaz, and took him, and put him in bonds at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might reign no more in Jerusalem, after he had been on the throne but three months, Kg2 23:31;

and they brought him with chains into the land of Egypt; or, "with hooks" (u); in his nose, as in Isa 37:29; or with a bridle, as the Septuagint; or with branches, as the Syriac version, in his jaws; the Targum renders it in chains, as we do: it is certain that Jehoahaz was put in bonds or fetters, and carried into Egypt, where he died, Kg2 23:33.

(u) "in, vel cum hamis", Montanus, Tigurine version, Cocceius, Starckius.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Chains - See the marginal rendering to Eze 19:9 and Isa 27:9, note.

Eze 19:5

Another - Jehoiachin who soon showed himself no less unworthy than Jehoahaz. The “waiting” of the people was during the absence of their rightful lord Jehoahaz, a captive in Egypt while Jehoiakim, whom they deemed an usurper, was on the throne. It was not until Jehoiachin succeeded, that they seemed to themselves to have a monarch of their own 2Ki 24:6.

Eze 19:7

Their desolate palaces - Rather, his palaces, built upon the ground, from where he had ejected the former owners.

Eze 19:8

The nations - are here the Chaldaeans: see the marginal references.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

But. Hebrew, "he was taken in their pit," (Protestants; Haydock) as also [in] ver. 8. Septuagint, "in his or their corruption." We do not read that Joachaz fought, (Calmet) though this passage insinuates as much. (Sanctius) (4 Kings xxiii. 30., &c.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The Egyptians heard and considered what he did, they had intelligence of Jehoahaz’s rigours against them, and all that abetted their interest; this made them (as neighbours do when a lion is reported to waste their flocks) gather together against him. He was taken in their pit; or, in their net, as hunters in those parts dig pits and spread nets, into which they drive the hunted lion, or bear: so here. Or else thus, This lion was taken at last, though he did some mischief first to the Egyptians; so the word may bear.

They brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt; the story of it you have 2Ki 23:33; these barbarous conquerors used him as men use a lion, put and keep him in chains; carried him captive into Egypt, where he died, Jer 22:10-12, with 2Ki 23:34.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The nations also heard of him, etc. The fact that lies under the parable is that Egypt and its allies began to be alarmed as they watched the aggressive policy of Jehoahaz, as men are alarmed when they hear that a young lion is in the neighbourhood, and proceed to lay snares for him. In chains, etc.; literally, nose rings, such as were put into the nostrils of brutes or men. (Eze_38:4; 2Ki_19:28; Isa_37:29) The mention of Egypt points to the deportation of Jehoahaz by Pharaoh-Necho. (2Ki_23:34; Jer_22:11)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The nations - The Egyptians heard what he did.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Nations gathered around him Pharaoh the king of Egypt.

in their pit he was caught Heb. בְּשַּׁחְתָם. They dig pits and cover their openings with straw, and the beast falls into them.

and they brought him with hooks A sort of iron ring. They puncture his nose and pull him with them.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.