Their roaring will be like a lion. They will growl like young lions— yes, they will roar, seize their prey and carry it away safely— and there will be none to rescue.
I am sending it against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My fury I am commissioning it, to take spoil and plunder, to trample them down like mud in the streets.
For thus says Adonai to me: “As a lion or a young lion growls over its prey, though a company of shepherds is called out against him —their voice does not disturb him, nor does their noise upset him— so Adonai-Tzva’ot will come down to fight on Mount Zion, on its hill.
But this is a people robbed and looted. all of them trapped in holes, hidden away in prisons. They have become a prey with no one to deliver them, and plunder, with none to say, “Give them back!”
So much have they become to you, with whom you have toiled, trafficking with you from your youth, each wandering about his own way. No one will save you!
A lion has come up from his thicket— a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his place to make your land a wasteland. Your cities will lie in ruins, without inhabitant.
Look, it is like a lion coming up from the thickets of the Jordan to a secure pasture—for abruptly I will make him run away from it. I appoint over it whomever I choose. For who is like Me? Who will summon me to court? What shepherd stands up to Me?”
Israel is a scattered flock— lions have driven them away. First, Assyria’s king devoured him. This last one who broke his bones was King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.