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Ezekiel 31

Ezekiel 31:14

Egypt Will Fall like Assyria · Ezekiel 31:1–18
Read Ezekiel 31

Translations

Modern
This happened so that no other trees by the waters would become great in height and set their tops among the clouds, and no other well-watered trees would reach them in height. For they have all been consigned to death, to the depths of the earth, among the mortals who descend to the Pit.’
Traditional
To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs, neither their trees stand up in their height, all that drink water: for they are all delivered unto death, to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit.
Literal
…in order that not any trees by the waters will exalt in their height, and they will not give their tops to among the thick boughs. All those drinking from the waters should not reach their oaks to their height, for they all have been given to death, to the land far below, in the midst of the sons of men, with those going down to the Pit.’
Latin
Quam ob rem non elevabuntur in altitudine sua omnia ligna aquarum, nec ponent sublimitatem suam inter nemorosa atque frondosa, nec stabunt in sublimitate sua omnia quæ irrigantur aquis: quia omnes traditi sunt in mortem ad terram ultimam, in medio filiorum hominum, ad eos qui descendunt in lacum.

Original

Hebrew
English
This happened so that no other trees by the waters would become great in height and set their tops among the clouds, and no other well-watered trees would reach them in height. For they have all been consigned to death, to the depths of the earth, among the mortals who descend to the Pit.’

Notes

Ezekiel 31:12–14

Egypt’s judgment would teach the other nations an important lesson. No matter how powerful they believed themselves to be, they would all one day die and go down to the Pit (the place of the dead).

Ezekiel 31:1–18

Ezekiel asked the Egyptians to compare themselves to Assyria, which was like a great tree in Eden (Ezekiel 31:9). If that tree was cut down and sent to the underworld, how could Egypt, whose glory was less than Assyria's, believe it could survive?

Ezekiel 29:1–32:32

  • The seventh and final message of judgment against the nations targets Egypt, an old enemy and ally of Israel. This message is the longest and, like the one against Tyre, it addresses both Egypt and its ruler.

  • Egypt often tempted Israel and Judah to turn away from their loyalty to the Lord. Soon after leaving Egypt, Israel fell into the trap of Egypt's idolatry. Egypt led Judah to rely on chariots and horses instead of the Lord, but Egypt was unreliable when it mattered most. The Lord judged Egypt for leading his people astray (compare Luke 17:1–2).

Ezekiel 25:1–32:32

  • This section contains a series of messages of judgment against nearby nations. There are six shorter messages against Judah's immediate neighbors, arranged in a clockwise order, followed by a final message against Egypt (Ezekiel 30–32). Through experiencing God's judgment, the nations would recognize God's control over everything. The nations might be used to carry out God's judgment on his people, but they would not avoid judgment themselves.

  • One of the main purposes of these messages was to show that the negative part of God's promise to Abraham ("I will … curse those who curse you," Genesis 12:3) was still active. No one can harm God's people and avoid consequences, even when God's people are under his judgment.

Theme notes and profiles

Messages Against the Nations

Events

Glossary

Book of Jeremiah Cedar Ezekiel, Book of Hophra Lord Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar

Topics

Assyria: The Greatness, Extent, Duration, and Fall, Illustrated Pride: General Scriptures Concerning Self-Exaltation: General Scriptures Concerning