“Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.”
The judgment befitting apostasy: 'Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will ravage them, a leopard will lie in wait near their towns to tear to pieces any who venture out, for their transgressions are many and their backslidings are great.' This verse depicts predatory animals (lion, wolf, leopard) attacking the people, representing the coming military invasion. The phrase 'a wolf from the desert' might specifically suggest the Babylonian threat (coming from the desert regions to the north and east). The reason for this judgment is stated: 'their transgressions are many and their backslidings are great,' indicating that the magnitude of the punishment corresponds to the severity and persistence of the violation. Theologically, this verse establishes that judgment takes the form of what the people deserve: they have become prey, vulnerable to predators, because they have rejected the protection God offered.
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