Nebuchadnezzar and the King

"To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah king of Judah... until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month" (see Jeremiah 1:2, 3). Rabbi Avun said: a lion came up in the constellation of the lion and destroyed Ariel [Jerusalem]. "A lion came up": this is the wicked Nebuchadnezzar, of whom it is written, "A lion is gone up from his thicket" (ibid. 4:7). "In the constellation of the lion": "until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month" (ibid. 1:3) [the month of Av, whose sign is Leo]. "And destroyed Ariel": "Woe to Ariel, Ariel, the city where David encamped" (Isaiah 29:1). On condition that a lion shall come in the constellation of the lion and build Ariel. "A lion shall come": this is the Holy One, of whom it is written, "The lion has roared, who will not fear?" (Amos 3:8). "In the constellation of the lion": "And I will turn their mourning into joy" (Jeremiah 31:12). "And shall build Ariel": "The LORD builds up Jerusalem, He gathers together the dispersed of Israel" (Psalms 147:2). Finished.