God’s Word Translation
Ezekiel 31:14
14Then all the other trees growing by the water were kept from becoming arrogant because of their height, and their tops were no longer allowed to reach the clouds. So no tree, even if it is well-watered, will ever stand that tall. Every tree is going to die and go below the earth to join those who have died and gone down to the pit.
Ezekiel 31:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Therefore no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined for death, for the earth below, among mortals who go down to the realm of the dead.
- English Standard Version (ESV)All this is in order that no trees by the waters may grow to towering height or set their tops among the clouds, and that no trees that drink water may reach up to them in height. For they are all given over to death, to the world below, among the children of man, with those who go down to the pit.
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘So that no trees by the waters may ever again exalt themselves for their height, nor set their tops among the thick boughs, that no tree which drinks water may ever be high enough to reach up to them. ‘For they have all been delivered to death, To the depths of the earth, Among the children of men who go down to the Pit.’
Context of Ezekiel 31:14
12Foreigners from the most ruthless nation cut it down and threw it away. Its branches fell on the mountains and in every valley. Its broken branches fell in every ravine in the land. All the nations in the world came out from under its shade and left. 13All the birds perched on the fallen tree, and all the wild animals lived in its branches. Then all the other trees growing by the water were kept from becoming arrogant because of their height, and their tops were no longer allowed to reach the clouds. So no tree, even if it is well-watered, will ever stand that tall. Every tree is going to die and go below the earth to join those who have died and gone down to the pit. 15“ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: When the tree went down to the grave, I made people mourn. I covered the underground springs and held back the rivers. The many water sources stopped flowing. I made Lebanon mourn for the tree, and all the trees in the field fainted as they grieved over it. 16I made the nations tremble in fear at the sound of the tree’s crash. I brought the tree down to the grave to join those who had gone down to the pit. Then all the trees in Eden, the choicest and best trees of Lebanon, and all the trees that were well-watered were comforted below the earth.
Read all of Ezekiel 31Ezekiel 31:14 word by word
לְמַ֡עַן אֲשֶׁר֩ לֹא־יִגְבְּה֨וּ בְקוֹמָתָ֜ם כָּל־עֲצֵי־מַ֗יִם וְלֹֽא־יִתְּנ֤וּ אֶת־צַמַּרְתָּם֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ין עֲבֹתִ֔ים וְלֹֽא־יַעַמְד֧וּ אֵלֵיהֶ֛ם בְּגָבְהָ֖ם כָּל־שֹׁ֣תֵי מָ֑יִם כִּֽי־כֻלָּם֩ נִתְּנ֨וּ לַמָּ֜וֶת אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ תַּחְתִּ֗ית בְּת֛וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י אָדָ֖ם אֶל־י֥וֹרְדֵי בֽוֹר׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- To the end that none of all the treesעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
- by the watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
- exaltגָּבַהּgâbahh · be highH1361
- themselves for their heightקוֹמָהqômâh · heightH6967
- neither shoot upנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
- their topצַמֶּ֫רֶתtsammereth · treetopH6788
- among the thick boughsעֲבֹת‛ăbôth ‛ăbôth ‛ăbôthâh · cordH5688
- neither their treesאַ֫יִל'ayil · terebinthH352
- stand upעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: riseH5975
- in their heightגֹּ֫בַהּgôbahh · heightH1363
- all that drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- for they are all deliveredנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- unto deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
- to the nether partsתַּחְתִּיtachtîy · lowerH8482
- of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- in the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- with them that go downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- to the pitבּוֹרbôr · pitH953
Cross-references for Ezekiel 31:14
- Deuteronomy 13:11All Israel will hear about it and be afraid. Then no one among you will ever do such a wicked thing again.
- Deuteronomy 21:21All the men of the city should stone him to death. You must get rid of this evil. When all Israel hears about it, they will be afraid.
- Nehemiah 13:18Isn’t this what your ancestors did, with the results that our God brought all these evils on us and on this city? Now you’re making him even more angry with Israel by treating the day of rest—a holy day, as unholy.”
- Daniel 4:32You will be forced away from people and live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cattle. And seven time periods will pass until you realize that the Most High has power over human kingdoms and that he gives them to whomever he wishes.”
- Daniel 5:22“Belshazzar, you are one of Nebuchadnezzar’s successors. You didn’t remain humble, even though you knew all this.
- 1 Corinthians 10:11These things happened to make them an example for others. These things were written down as a warning for us who are living in the closing days of history.
- 2 Peter 2:6God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and destroyed them by burning them to ashes. He made those cities an example to ungodly people of what is going to happen to them.
- Psalms 82:7You will certainly die like humans and fall like any prince.”
- Hebrews 9:27People die once, and after that they are judged.
- Ezekiel 32:18“Son of man, cry for the many people of Egypt. Bring them down along with the other mighty nations. Send them down below the earth to be with those who have gone down to the pit.
- Psalms 63:9But those who try to destroy my life will go into the depths of the earth.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 31:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14To the end that none of all the trees - Let this ruin, fallen upon Egypt, teach all the nations that shall hear of it to be humble, because, however elevated, God can soon bring them down; and pride and arrogance, either in states or individuals, have the peculiar abhorrence of God. Pride does not suit the sons of men; it made devils of angels, and makes fiends of men.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10-14Verses 10-14 Assyria‘s fall. Ezekiel 31:11 More accurately: Therefore I will deliver him, etc he shall surely deal with him. I have driven him out, etc. Ezekiel 31:14 Their trees - Rather, as in the margin, “standing unto themselves” meaning “standing in their own strength.” The clause will then run thus: “Neither all that drink water stand up” in their own strength. “All that drink water” means mighty princes to whom wealth and prosperity flow in. The…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-18Verses 10-18 The king of Egypt resembled the king of Assyria in his greatness: here we see he resembles him in his pride. And he shall resemble him in his fall. His own sin brings his ruin. None of our comforts are ever lost, but what have been a thousand times forfeited. When great men fall, many fall with them, as many have fallen before them. The fall of proud men is for warning to others, to keep them humble. See how low Pharaoh lies; and see what all…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-14Egypt’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).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. trees by the waters--that is, that are plentifully supplied by the waters: nations abounding in resources. stand up in their height--that is, trust in their height: stand upon it as their ground of confidence. Fairbairn points the Hebrew differently, so as for "their trees," to translate, "(And that none that drink water may stand) on themselves, (because of their greatness)." But the usual reading is better, as Assyria and the confederate states…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 31:14
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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