2 Say to Israel, " 'You were like a mother lion to your princes. She lay down among the young lions. She brought up her cubs.
3 One of them was Jehoahaz. He became a strong lion. He learned to tear apart what he caught. And he ate men up.
4 The nations heard about him. They trapped him in their pit. They put hooks in his face. And they led him away to Egypt.
5 " 'The mother lion looked and waited. But all of her hope was gone. So she got another one of her cubs. She made him into a strong lion.
6 He prowled with the lions. He became very strong. He learned to tear apart what he caught. And he ate men up.
7 He broke down their forts. He completely destroyed their towns. The land and all those who were in it were terrified when he roared.
8 Then nations came against him. They came from all around him. They spread out their net to catch him. He was trapped in their pit.