Ezekiel 31:17 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Ezekiel 31:17 kjv
They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen.
Ezekiel 31:17 nkjv
They also went down to hell with it, with those slain by the sword; and those who were its strong arm dwelt in its shadows among the nations.
Ezekiel 31:17 niv
They too, like the great cedar, had gone down to the realm of the dead, to those killed by the sword, along with the armed men who lived in its shade among the nations.
Ezekiel 31:17 esv
They also went down to Sheol with it, to those who are slain by the sword; yes, those who were its arm, who lived under its shadow among the nations.
Ezekiel 31:17 nlt
Its allies, too, were all destroyed and had passed away. They had gone down to the grave ? all those nations that had lived in its shade.
Ezekiel 31 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Proverbs 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | Pride leads to destruction. |
| Isaiah 14:12-15 | "How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn!... | Humiliation of a proud, fallen king. |
| Jeremiah 17:5 | Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength... | Danger of trusting in human strength. |
| Psalm 49:12 | But man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish. | Mortality and the fleeting nature of power. |
| Jeremiah 2:36 | Why do you go about so much to change your way? You shall be put to shame by Egypt as you were put to shame by Assyria. | Shame of relying on foreign powers. |
| Ezekiel 26:15-18 | The coastlands will tremble on the day of your fall, when the wounded groan in your midst. | Others tremble at the fall of a great power. |
| Psalm 33:16-17 | The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. | God's salvation, not human might. |
| Isaiah 31:1-3 | Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help... their horses are flesh, and not spirit. | Reliance on Egypt is vain and brings woe. |
| Habakkuk 2:9-11 | Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm! | Fall of those building false security. |
| Isaiah 30:1-3 | "Ah, stubborn children," declares the Lord... who set out to go down to Egypt... and to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt! | Seeking protection in Egypt's shadow fails. |
| Zechariah 11:17 | Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock!... his arm will be completely withered... | The 'arm' (strength) of the wicked will fail. |
| 1 Samuel 2:7-8 | The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts... He raises up the poor from the dust... | God's sovereignty over exaltation and debasement. |
| Daniel 4:30-33 | The king declared, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built..." While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven... | Humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar's pride. |
| Psalm 75:6-7 | For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes exaltation, but it is God who executes judgment... | God is the ultimate judge, exalting and debasing. |
| Job 10:21-22 | Before I go—and I shall not return—to the land of darkness and gloom, to the land of thick darkness and utter gloom... | Sheol as a dark and desolate place. |
| Psalm 16:10 | For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. | Hope beyond Sheol through divine intervention. |
| Hosea 13:14 | I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death. | God's power over Sheol. |
| Revelation 6:8 | And behold, a pale horse, and its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. | Death and Hades (Greek equivalent of Sheol) have power. |
| Revelation 18:4 | Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues..." | Warning against sharing in judgment. |
| 2 Chronicles 28:16-21 | At that time King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help. For the Edomites had again invaded Judah and carried away captives. | Failed alliance, paying tribute to Assyria brought distress, not help. |
| Judges 9:15 | ...come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon. | Seeking shade (protection) under an inferior, then being destroyed with it. |
Ezekiel 31 verses
Ezekiel 31 17 meaning
Ezekiel 31:17 describes the fate of the allies and dependents of the great "cedar" (symbolizing Egypt, or previously Assyria), emphasizing that their perceived protection under its power was futile. They too would share the downfall and go down into Sheol, the realm of the dead, joining those slain by the sword. This highlights a universal judgment, where reliance on earthly strength leads to a shared, violent end.
Ezekiel 31 17 Context
Ezekiel 31 is an oracle against Pharaoh king of Egypt, delivered by God through the prophet Ezekiel. It uses the elaborate parable of a mighty cedar tree to represent a great and powerful nation, primarily identified with Assyria's former glory, but clearly applying the fate described to Egypt. The chapter describes the tree's majestic growth, its vast reach, and the many creatures (nations/peoples) that found shelter under its branches (representing its influence or protection). God then declares that He will cut down this proud tree because of its haughtiness and self-exaltation. Verse 17 directly follows the description of the cedar's felling and its descent into Sheol. It underscores that not only the proud leader but also all those who depended on its strength and protection would share its calamitous fate. Historically, Judah was tempted to ally with Egypt against Babylon, so this prophecy served as a powerful warning against relying on any earthly power, emphasizing God's supreme sovereignty over all nations.
Ezekiel 31 17 Word analysis
- "They also": Refers to the nations, peoples, or individuals who had aligned themselves with or sought protection from the great cedar/Egypt. The inclusion of "also" highlights that their fate is inseparable from that of the central power.
- "went down": This phrase denotes a descent, a fall from a high position, implying not merely physical death but a demotion, a loss of status, power, and glory.
- "into Sheol" (שְׁאוֹל, She'ol): The Hebrew term for the underworld or realm of the dead. In this context, it signifies a complete and utter end, a departure from the land of the living, marked by loss of vitality, authority, and presence. It's a shadowy, powerless existence.
- "with him": "Him" refers to the great cedar (representing Egypt/Assyria). This phrase emphasizes their shared and interconnected doom; their destinies are intertwined with the very power they sought refuge under.
- "to those who are slain by the sword": This specific description of death signifies a violent, often battle-related end. It implies a defeat, judgment, and a lack of a peaceful or dignified departure. The sword here represents not just human conflict, but often the instrument of divine judgment.
- "and those who were his arm": The Hebrew word for "arm" (זְרוֹעַ, zero'a) frequently symbolizes strength, power, military might, and the means of execution or support. Thus, "his arm" refers to the nations or groups that provided military strength, allegiance, or support to the main power.
- "who lived under his shadow": The Hebrew for "shadow" (צֵל, tzel) metaphorically denotes protection, refuge, and dominance. These were the peoples or territories that either willingly sought protection under the cedar's authority or were subjected to its powerful dominion. Their security, which they believed was assured under this mighty tree, is now exposed as utterly fragile.
- "among the nations": This broad phrase underscores the extensive international reach of the fallen power and its numerous dependencies, emphasizing the widespread nature of the impending judgment. It implies a visible, public, and internationally recognized collapse.
- "perished": This strong verb indicates complete destruction, an absolute end. It denotes not just death, but the vanishing of their hopes, power, and influence, echoing the destruction of the main entity they relied upon.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "They also went down into Sheol with him": This clause vividly depicts the shared and inevitable fate. The followers, who benefited from or were subjected to the great power, will experience the same descent into oblivion as their leader, demonstrating a unity in their catastrophic judgment.
- "to those who are slain by the sword": This phrase specifies the nature of their demise, indicating a violent, often humiliating death through conflict or divine execution, aligning their end with that of other defeated powers.
- "and those who were his arm, who lived under his shadow among the nations": This describes two dimensions of their relationship with the fallen power: first, their active role in providing strength and military support ("his arm"); second, their passive role as recipients of protection or subjects under his dominance ("under his shadow"). Both types of relationships led to the same ultimate fate. "Among the nations" further solidifies the international scope of this downfall.
- "perished": A powerful, conclusive verb that summarily affirms the complete and utter destruction of all associated with the proud, fallen empire, cementing the finality of their end.
Ezekiel 31 17 Bonus section
The imagery of nations finding refuge "under his shadow" has a rich ironic layer. While Psalm 91 speaks of finding refuge under God's wings/shadow for true security, here the shadow of a human kingdom proves to be a conduit to destruction. This prophetically reverses the usual understanding of protection, asserting that only God offers lasting shelter. The prophecy also aligns the mighty pharaoh and his allies with the common, ignoble dead in Sheol, thereby leveling all distinctions of earthly power and pride in the face of divine judgment. This emphasizes that for God, there is no special place in death for those who prided themselves in life without acknowledging His ultimate sovereignty.
Ezekiel 31 17 Commentary
Ezekiel 31:17 encapsulates the grim reality that worldly alliances and the perceived security derived from powerful nations are ultimately transient and treacherous. When God brings judgment upon a proud, self-exalting power (like Egypt, here symbolized by Assyria's former glory), its entire support structure and all those who sought refuge under its dominion will invariably share in its ruin. The descent into Sheol signifies a complete cessation of power and life, a stark contrast to their former status. Their end is ignoble, "slain by the sword," emphasizing divine judgment over their reliance on human might. This verse serves as a profound warning: placing one's trust and hope in temporal, human strength or alliances rather than in God leads to shared desolation when such power is ultimately overthrown by the Almighty.