A lamentation for fallen princes.
"Moreover, take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, and say, What was thy mother?" etc. Here are three preliminary inquiries.
1. Who is addressed by the prophet? Or, whom are we to understand by the pronoun "thy"? "What was thy mother?" "Jehoiachin is addressed," says the 'Speaker's Commentary.' Hengstenberg says, "The address is to the man Judah, the people of the present." And Schroder, "The address is directed to the people." But, as we shall see, the people are probably represented by the lioness; and if such be the case, it is hardly congruous to say that they are addressed in the pronoun "thy;" for that would represent them at once as the "mother" and the offspring.
2. Who is represented by" fly mother, a lioness"? According to Schroder, "the mother of the people is Jerusalem" (cf. Galatians 4:25, seq.; Lamentations 1:1). The general opinion is that the mother represents the people of Judah or of the whole Israel. Hengstenberg, "The mother is the people in itself." Matthew Henry, "He must compare the kingdom of Judah to a lioness." Scott, "The Jewish Church and nation is represented under the image of a lioness." 'Speaker's Commentary,' "The people represented by Judah."
3. Who are represented by the two whelps? (Verses 3, 5.) It is generally agreed that by them are set forth the two princes for whom this lamenta tion is made, and that by the first whelp which "became a young lion" is signified Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:30). But opinion is divided as to whether the other whelp which was "made a young lion" represents Jehoiakim or Jehoiachin. Hengstenberg, Schroder, and the 'Speaker's Commentary' say that it was Jehoiachin, for this amongst other reasons, that he "was not appointed by a foreign prince out of order, like his father Jehoiakim, but succeeded regularly with the consent of the people (2 Kings 24:6)." But it is difficult to see how verses 6 and 7 can be applied to him, seeing that he reigned only three months and ten days (2 Chronicles 36:9). On the other hand, if we take verses 5-9 as applying to Jehoiakim, then the ninth verse presents this difficulty, that it represents the prince as being carried into Babylon as a prisoner, and there brought into strongholds, and his voice never more heard upon the mountains of Israel; whereas it is said in 2 Kings 24:6 that "Jehoiakim slept with his fathers;" and in Jeremiah 22:19, "He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem." But, as Dr. Milman remarks, "There is much difficulty about the death of Jehoiakim;" for in addition to the state merits just quoted from 2 Kings and Jeremiah, in 2 Chronicles 36:6 it is said that Nebuchadnezzar "bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon." Whether we conclude that Jehoiakim or Jehoiachin is referred to in 2 Chronicles 36:5-9, difficulties meet us which perhaps at present cannot be completely cleared away. On the three questions at which we have glanced, the following remarks of Greenhill are deserving of quota tion: "It is said 'thy mother' in reference to each prince. Jehoahaz, 'what is thy mother?' Jehoiakim, 'what is thy mother?' By 'mother' here is meant Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah. Great cities and kingdoms are in a metaphorical sense mothers; they bring forth kings; they elect, crown, and set them up to rule." But leaving questions of disputed interpretation, let us look at those aspects or illustrations of historical and moral truths which this lamentation sets forth. We discover here -
I. ROYAL POSITION AND POWER SYMBOLIZED. "What was thy mother? A lioness: she couched among lions, in the midst of the young lions she nourished her whelps." "The people appears as a lioness," says Hengstenberg, "on the ground of Genesis 49:9, to which passage the couching in particular refers (cf. Numbers 23:24; Numbers 24:9; Isaiah 29:1), because it was a royal people, of equal birth with other independent and powerful nations, as this royal nature was historically displayed, especially in the times of David and Solomon The whelps of the mother are the sons of the King of Israel The bringing up of these among lions points to the fact that the kingdom of Israel was of equal birth with the mighty kingdoms of the heathen world." And Schroder says excellently, "That she 'lay down' among the neighbouring royal states betokens majestic repose and conscious security—the fearless one exciting fear by imposing power." The power and prosperity thus indicated were especially realized during the later years of the reign of David and the greater portion of that of Solomon. Of this we have evidence in 1 Chronicles 14:17; 1 Chronicles 24:26-28; 2 Chronicles 9:1-31.
II. ROYAL POSITION AND POWER ABUSED. "And she brought up one of her whelps; he became a young lion: and he learned to catch the prey, he devoured men." The young lion is intended to represent Jehoahaz, who was raised to the throne by the people (2 Kings 23:30). "He was an impious man," said Josephus, "and impure in his course of life." "And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done" (2 Kings 23:32). And, according to our text, during his brief reign he abused his kingly power by oppressing his subjects. Then we have the abuse of kingly power in another sovereign (2 Chronicles 9:5-7). It we take this as referring to Jehoiakim, it is difficult to see how it can be appropriately said that "she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion," seeing that he was raised to the throne by Pharaoh-Necho (2 Kings 23:34). But in other respects the description here given suits him well (cf. 2 Chronicles 9:6, 2 Chronicles 9:7 with 2 Kings 23:35-37). Josephus says that "he was of a wicked disposition, and ready to do mischief: nor was he either religious towards God or good-natured towards men" ('Ant.,' 10.5. 2). Again, if we translate 2 Chronicles 9:7 as in the 'Speaker's Commentary,' "he knew his palaces" (both Hengstenberg and Schroder translate "his" in this clause, and not "their" as in the Authorized Version), the reference to Jehoiakim becomes yet more clear; for he had a passion for building splendid edifices, and he gratified it by injustice and oppression (Jeremiah 22:13-19). By both these princes their position and power were wickedly abused. Rank and might should be used in accordance with the will of God and for the good of man. Kings should employ their power for the protection and prosperity of their subjects.
"Since by your greatness you
Are nearer heaven in place, be nearer it
In goodness. Rich men should transcend the poor.
As clouds the earth; raised by the comfort of
The sun, to water dry and barren grounds."
(Tourneive.)
But these princes used their power for the oppression and impoverishment of their subjects.
"When those whom Heaven distinguishes o'er millions,
Profusely gives them honour, riches, power,
Whate'er the expanded heart can wish; when they,
Accepting the reward, neglect the duty,
Or worse, pervert those gifts to deeds of ruin,
Is there a wretch they rule so mean as they,—
Guilty at once of sacrilege to Heaven,
And of perfidious robbery to men?"
(Mallet.)
III. ROYAL POSITION AND POWER TAKEN AWAY. "The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt" (cf. 2 Kings 23:31-34). There is here "an allusion to the custom, when the news arrives that a lion or other savage beast is committing mischief, of assembling on all sides to seize and slay it" (C.B. Michaelis). The "chains," "hooks," or "rings," by which Jehoahaz is said to have been brought into Egypt, refer to the custom of putting a ring "through the nose of animals that require to be restrained, to attach to it the bridle by which they are led, by which also their power of breathing can be lessened" (cf. 2 Kings 19:28). Jehoiakim also was stripped of the power which he had abused. "The nations set against him on every side from the provinces; and they spread their net over him," etc. (2 Chronicles 9:8, 2 Chronicles 9:9). The historical explanation is given in 2 Kings 24:1, 2 Kings 24:2; 2 Chronicles 36:5, 2 Chronicles 36:6. Or, if 2 Chronicles 36:8 and 2 Chronicles 36:9 be applied to Jehoiachin, we have their explanation in 2 Kings 24:10-16. When kings and princes abuse their power, in the providence of God it is taken away from them. Many examples of this might he cited; as Saul (1 Samuel 31:1-13.), Zimri (1 Kings 16:8-20), Jehoram (2 Chronicles 21:1-20.), Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:1-11). And, as Greenhill says, "Tiberius was poisoned or smothered by his own nephew; Caligula slain by his own guard; Vitrellius was overthrown in battle, taken prisoner, and drawn with a halter about his neck along the streets, half naked, and after many outrages done unto him, he was killed and cast into the Tiber. Leander, tyrant of Cyrena, was taken alive, and being sewed into a leathern bag, was cast into the sea. Thirty tyrants were slain in one day at Athens, by Theramenes, Thrasibulus, and Archippns, who did it with seventy men." The measure they had meted unto others was measured also unto them. As they had done, so God requited them. These things call for lamentation on the part of the patriotic and the pious. When splendid opportunities are worse than neglected, and exalted position and power are grievously abused, and princes oppress their people, the wise and good do mourn. National sins and calamities should awaken the sorrow of all lovers of their God and country.—W.J.