A Murderous, Captured Lion: Ezekiel's Negative Approach Toward Jehoiachin

Abstract

This article analyzes Ezekiel 19, arguing for its unity and for a date of composition prior to the fall of Jerusalem. It evaluates the identities of the figures mentioned in the text and proposes that the murderous lion depicted in verses 5–9 is an image of no other than Jehoiachin. These findings explain the prophet’s decision to switch between the lion's image and the vine’s image in the middle of the prophecy, and they also contribute to the scholarly discussion regarding Ezekiel’s approach toward the exiled king.