Ezekiel 31:3

Ezekiel 31:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs.
• New International Version (NIV)Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest; it towered on high, its top above the thick foliage.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches and forest shade, and of towering height, its top among the clouds.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Indeed Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon, With fine branches that shaded the forest, And of high stature; And its top was among the thick boughs.

Context of Ezekiel 31:3

1On the first day of the third month in the eleventh year, the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 2“Son of man, say to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and his many people, ‘Was there ever anyone as great as you? What about Assyria? It was a cedar in Lebanon with fine branches that shaded the forest. It was very tall. Its top was among the clouds. 4Water made the tree grow, and underground springs made it tall. Rivers flowed around the place where the tree was planted. Streams ran beside all the other trees around it. 5That is why it grew taller than all the other trees in the field. Its branches became large and long because of so much water.

Ezekiel 31:3 word by word

הִנֵּ֨ה אַשּׁ֜וּר אֶ֣רֶז בַּלְּבָנ֗וֹן יְפֵ֥ה עָנָ֛ף וְחֹ֥רֶשׁ מֵצַ֖ל וּגְבַ֣הּ קוֹמָ֑ה וּבֵ֣ין עֲבֹתִ֔ים הָיְתָ֖ה צַמַּרְתּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Behold, the Assyrianאַשּׁוּר'ashshûr 'ashshûr · AssyriaH804
• a cedarאֶ֫רֶז'erez · cedarH730
• in Lebanonלְבָנוֹןlebânôn · LebanonH3844
• with fairיָפֶהyâpheh · beautifulH3303
• branchesעָנָף‛ânâph · branchH6057
• and with a shadowingצָלַלtsâlal · to shadeH6751
• shroudחֹ֫רֶשׁchôresh · woodH2793
• and of an highגָּבֹהַּgâbâhh · highH1362
• statureקוֹמָהqômâh · heightH6967
• and his topצַמֶּ֫רֶתtsammereth · treetopH6788
• was among the thick boughsעֲבֹת‛ăbôth ‛ăbôth ‛ăbôthâh · cordH5688

Cross-references for Ezekiel 31:3

• Nahum 3:1How horrible it will be for that city of bloody violence! It is completely full of lies and stolen goods—never without victims.
• Zephaniah 2:13The Lord will use his power against the north and destroy Assyria. He will turn Nineveh into a deserted ruin, a dried up wasteland like the desert.
• Ezekiel 17:3Say, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: A large eagle came to Lebanon. It had large wings with long, colorful feathers. It took hold of the top of a cedar tree.
• Isaiah 10:33Now look! The Almighty Lord of Armies will trim the branches with terrifying power. The highest trees will be cut down. The tallest ones will be brought down.
• Isaiah 37:24Through your servants you defy the Lord and say, “With my many chariots I’ll ride up the high mountains, up the slopes of Lebanon. I’ll cut down its tallest cedars and its finest cypresses. I’ll come to its most distant heights and its most fertile forests.
• Daniel 4:10These are the visions I had while I was asleep: I was looking, and I saw an oak tree in the middle of the earth. It was very tall.
• Zechariah 11:2Cry, cypress trees, because the cedars have fallen and the stately trees have been destroyed. Cry, oak trees of Bashan, because your dense forest has fallen down.
• Ezekiel 31:6All the birds made their nests in its branches. All the wild animals gave birth to their young under it. All the powerful nations lived in its shade.
• Judges 9:15But the thornbush responded to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me to be your king, then come and take shelter in my shade. But if not, fire will come out of the thornbush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon.’
• Daniel 4:12It had beautiful leaves and plenty of fruit, enough to feed everyone. Wild animals found shade under it. Birds came to live in its branches. It fed every living creature.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 31:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar - Why is the Assyrian introduced here, when the whole chapter concerns Egypt? Bp. Lowth has shown that ארז אשור ashshur erez should be translated the tall cedar, the very stately cedar; hence there is reference to his lofty top; and all the following description belongs to Egypt, not to Assyria. But see on Ezekiel 31:11; (note).Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3-9Verses 3-9 Fifth prophecy against Egypt: a warning to Pharaoh from the fate of the Assyrians. The Assyrian empire, after having been supreme in Asia for four centuries, had been overthrown by the united forces of the Babylonians and Medes, in the year of the battle of Carchemish (605 b.c.), which had broken the power of Egypt. This gives force to the warning to Egypt from Assyria‘s fall. Ezekiel 31:4 His plants - Rather, her plantation. The water…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-4The cedar of Lebanon was a tree known for its beauty and great value. People used its wood for building, trade, and even military purposes. Assyria is compared to a tall cedar tree. Its army had once been stronger than any other army. Like a tree whose top reaches the clouds, Assyria’s power seemed greater than all others.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. He illustrates the pride and the consequent overthrow of the Assyrian, that Egypt may the better know what she must expect. cedar in Lebanon--often eighty feet high, and the diameter of the space covered by its boughs still greater: the symmetry perfect. Compare the similar image (Eze 17:3; Da 4:20-22). with a shadowing shroud--with an overshadowing thicket. top ... among ... thick boughs--rather [Hengstenberg], "among the clouds." But English Version…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 31:3

• Cedar

In the dictionaries

• Lebanon
• Assyria, Assyrian, Assyrian Empire
• Cedar
• Egypt
• Fair
• Branch ;bough
• Forest
• Glory
• Horesh
• Isaiah

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