New English Translation
Ezekiel 31:18
18Which of the trees of Eden was like you in majesty and loftiness? You will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword! This is what will happen to Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
Ezekiel 31:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord God.
- New International Version (NIV)“ ‘Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword. “ ‘This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign Lord.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? You shall be brought down with the trees of Eden to the world below. You shall lie among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword. "This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord God."
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘To which of the trees in Eden will you then be likened in glory and greatness? Yet you shall be brought down with the trees of Eden to the depths of the earth; you shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude,’ says the Lord God.”
Context of Ezekiel 31:18
16I made the nations shake at the sound of its fall, when I threw it down to Sheol, along with those who descend to the pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and the best of Lebanon, all that were well-watered, were comforted in the earth below. 17Those who lived in its shade, its allies among the nations, also went down with it to Sheol, to those killed by the sword. Which of the trees of Eden was like you in majesty and loftiness? You will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword! This is what will happen to Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
Read all of Ezekiel 31Ezekiel 31:18 word by word
אֶל־מִ֨י דָמִ֥יתָ כָּ֛כָה בְּכָב֥וֹד וּבְגֹ֖דֶל בַּעֲצֵי־עֵ֑דֶן וְהוּרַדְתָּ֨ אֶת־עֲצֵי־עֵ֜דֶן אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ תַּחְתִּ֗ית בְּת֨וֹךְ עֲרֵלִ֤ים תִּשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶב ה֤וּא פַרְעֹה֙ וְכָל־הֲמונ֔וֹ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- To whom art thou thus likeדָּמָהdâmâh · to resembleH1819
- in gloryכָּבוֹדkâbôd kâbôd · gloryH3519
- and in greatnessגֹּ֫דֶלgôdel · greatnessH1433
- among the treesעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
- of Edenעֵ֫דֶן‛êden · EdenH5731
- yet shalt thou be brought downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- unto the nether partsתַּחְתִּיtachtîy · lowerH8482
- of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- thou shalt lieשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: be deadH7901
- in the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- of the uncircumcisedעָרֵל‛ârêl · uncircumcisedH6189
- slainחָלָלchâlâl · slain: killedH2491
- by the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
- and all his multitudeהָמוֹןhâmôn hâmôn · crowdH1995
- saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
Cross-references for Ezekiel 31:18
- Ezekiel 31:2“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and his hordes: “‘Who are you like in your greatness?
- Ezekiel 32:19Say to them, ‘Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be laid to rest with the uncircumcised!’
- Ezekiel 31:9I made it beautiful with its many branches; all the trees of Eden, in the garden of God, envied it.
- Ezekiel 28:10You will die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners; for I have spoken, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
- Ezekiel 32:10I will shock many peoples with you, and their kings will shiver with horror because of you. When I brandish my sword before them, every moment each one will tremble for his life, on the day of your fall.
- 1 Samuel 17:26David asked the men who were standing near him, “What will be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and frees Israel from this humiliation? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he defies the armies of the living God?”
- 2 Samuel 1:20Don’t report it in Gath, don’t spread the news in the streets of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate!
- Jeremiah 9:25The Lord says, “Watch out! The time is soon coming when I will punish all those who are circumcised only in the flesh.
- 2 Chronicles 28:22During his time of trouble King Ahaz was even more unfaithful to the Lord.
- Psalms 52:7“Look, here is the man who would not make God his protector! He trusted in his great wealth and was confident about his plans to destroy others.”
- Matthew 13:19When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches what was sown in his heart; this is the seed sown along the path.
- Matthew 26:26While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat, this is my body.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:14So then, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 31:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18This is Pharaoh - All that I have spoken in this allegory of the lofty cedar refers to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, his princes, confederates, and people. Calmet understands the whole chapter of the king of Assyria, under which he allows that Egypt is adumbrated; and hence on this verse he quotes: - Mutato nomine, de te fabula narratur. What is said of Assyria belongs to thee, O Egypt.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Application to Pharaoh. The uncircumcised - The Egyptians, at least their nobles, were circumcised. Pharaoh should thus be dishonored with those whom the Egyptians themselves deemed unclean.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. 18The main message of this long comparison now becomes clear. Egypt was strong and glorious. However, it would be destroyed just as Assyria had been. It would also share in the shame of other nations that trusted in their own power and greatness.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Application of the parabolic description of Assyria to the parallel case of Egypt. "All that has been said of the Assyrian consider as said to thyself. To whom art thou so like, as thou art to the Assyrian? To none." The lesson on a gigantic scale of Eden-like privileges abused to pride and sin by the Assyrian, as in the case of the first man in Eden, ending in ruin, was to be repeated in Egypt's case. For the unchangeable God governs the world on the…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 31:18
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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