19:2 lioness. The lioness represents the nation of Israel or the city of Jerusalem, which produced these cubs, or kings; for the image of Jerusalem as a mother, see Ps. 87:5; Is. 50:1; 54:1; Gal. 4:26, 27. The lion as an image is frequently associated with Davidic kingship (Gen. 49:9; Mic. 5:8). The New Testament looks for “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” to reestablish the kingdom of God (Rev. 5:5).