Ezekiel 31 7

Ezekiel 31:7 kjv

Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters.

Ezekiel 31:7 nkjv

'Thus it was beautiful in greatness and in the length of its branches, Because its roots reached to abundant waters.

Ezekiel 31:7 niv

It was majestic in beauty, with its spreading boughs, for its roots went down to abundant waters.

Ezekiel 31:7 esv

It was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches; for its roots went down to abundant waters.

Ezekiel 31:7 nlt

It was strong and beautiful,
with wide-spreading branches,
for its roots went deep
into abundant water.

Ezekiel 31 verses

Ezekiel 31 7 meaning

Ezekiel 31:7 describes the impressive beauty and vast influence of a powerful nation, here represented by Assyria (and by extension, Pharaoh's Egypt), under the metaphor of a magnificent, stately tree. This tree’s grandeur and expansive reach are directly attributed to its access to abundant and life-giving waters, symbolizing its sources of power, resources, and widespread dominion, implying a state of prosperity and strength before its eventual fall.

Ezekiel 31 7 Context

Ezekiel 31 is a prophetic lament and parable against Pharaoh and Egypt, likening them to the magnificent nation of Assyria. This chapter functions as a cautionary tale: Egypt, currently strong, will suffer a similar fate to Assyria, which, despite its former glory, was brought down by divine judgment. The "great tree," specifically a cedar of Lebanon, is a metaphor for a powerful and expansive empire, reaching immense influence and grandeur. The historical context is the period of the Babylonian exile (circa 588-586 BC), where Judah was caught between the waning power of Egypt and the rising dominance of Babylon, and many looked to Egypt for alliance and protection. The polemic is against placing trust in the strength and pride of worldly nations, reminding the audience that God alone raises and brings down kingdoms, and even the most "beautiful" and "great" are subject to His will, especially when their perceived strength leads to haughtiness.

Ezekiel 31 7 Word analysis

• Thus (כֵּן - kēn): This conjunction serves as a concluding or resultant marker. It links the description of the tree's beauty and power in this verse to its growth and development outlined in the preceding verses (Eze 31:4-6), showing that its greatness was a direct consequence of its favored planting by abundant waters. It signals the culmination of the prior descriptions into a summary of its magnificence.
• it was beautiful (וַיְפֵהוּ - vayi'fēhu): From the root יָפָה (yāp̄â), meaning "to be beautiful, handsome, goodly." This emphasizes the aesthetic appeal and grandeur of the tree, signifying the perceived splendor, glory, and attractiveness of the empire. It refers not just to its physical form but also to its impressive and commanding presence.
• in its greatness (בְּגָדְלוֹ - bəḡāḏəlô): Derived from גֹּדֶל (gōḏel), meaning "greatness, magnitude, large extent." This word highlights the immense size, scale, and majestic proportions of the tree/empire. It points to its unparalleled power and dominion, dominating other nations and evoking awe and perhaps envy from them.
• in the length of its branches (בְּאֹרֶךְ דָּלִיּוֹתָיו - bəʾōrek dalîyôtāw):
  • length (אֹרֶךְ - ʾōrek): Refers to expanse or extended reach.
  • of its branches (דָּלִיּוֹתָיו - dalîyôtāw): The plural of דָּלִית (dālît), denoting "branches" or "boughs," especially those that hang low or reach far out. This phrase vividly portrays the extensive territorial reach and sphere of influence of the empire. It suggests that its power and authority extended far and wide, covering many smaller nations like the shade of its boughs.
• for its roots (כִּי שָׁרָשָׁיו - kî šōrāšāw):
  • for (כִּי - kî): A causal conjunction, meaning "because" or "since." It explains the reason for the tree's beauty and greatness.
  • its roots (שָׁרָשָׁיו - šōrāšāw): From שֹׁרֶשׁ (šōreš), meaning "root." Roots are foundational, providing stability, nourishment, and anchoring the tree. Symbolically, these represent the underlying strength, resources, and essential stability of the nation.
• were beside (אֶל מַיִם - ʾel mayim): Literally "to waters," implying a close and continuous proximity, direct access to the source.
  • abundant waters (רַבִּים - rabbîm): Literally "many" or "great." When used with "waters" (מַיִם - mayim), it means a vast, plentiful, inexhaustible supply. This signifies an unfailing source of nourishment and life. In the geopolitical context, it implies access to ample resources, wealth, population, fertile lands, strategic locations, and a powerful foundational economy that sustained the empire's growth and power. The abundant waters are the ultimate explanation for its magnificence.
• Words-Group Analysis:
  • "beautiful in its greatness": This phrase combines aesthetic appeal with immense scale, presenting a picture of an empire that was not just large, but also grand, imposing, and attractive in its might, commanding admiration and respect. It points to outward magnificence as a perceived sign of strength.
  • "in the length of its branches": This highlights the tangible expression of the empire's power through its dominion and extensive control over surrounding territories and peoples. Its widespread influence is depicted as reaching far and wide, offering both shelter (and implied submission) to other nations.
  • "for its roots were beside abundant waters": This is the crucial explanatory clause, revealing the ultimate source of the tree's glory. The vast and unfailing water supply is the foundational cause of its thriving state. Theologically, this implicitly points to either a divine enablement (God allows it to flourish) or a worldly, temporal prosperity, which the rest of the chapter will reveal is ultimately unstable without true reliance on the Creator.

Ezekiel 31 7 Bonus section

The image of a mighty tree sustained by abundant waters, as depicted here, carries a powerful theological parallel across scripture. While in Ezekiel 31 it describes a proud, worldly empire destined for judgment, the very same imagery is consistently used to portray God's blessing and the flourishing of the righteous. For instance, Psalm 1:3 describes the blessed man as a "tree planted by streams of water," signifying life, stability, and fruitfulness found in meditating on God's law. Similarly, Jeremiah 17:8 uses this imagery to depict the spiritual security and continuous hope of those who trust in the Lord. Thus, Ezekiel's portrayal of Assyria’s grandeur implicitly highlights a key distinction: worldly strength, though mighty, finds its end, while spiritual prosperity, nourished by divine waters, is eternally enduring. The cedar of Lebanon, renowned for its magnificence and longevity, becomes here not a symbol of enduring blessing but a representation of human pride's pinnacle before its inevitable, God-ordained downfall.

Ezekiel 31 7 Commentary

Ezekiel 31:7 masterfully describes the peak glory of a mighty empire, specifically Assyria, using the metaphor of a colossal, aesthetically perfect tree whose greatness stems entirely from its deep roots tapping into abundant water sources. This verse acts as an exposition of why Assyria became so powerful and impressive before its demise, painting a picture of its broad dominion and self-perceived stability. The "abundant waters" symbolize all the natural and acquired resources—fertile lands, economic prosperity, strategic advantages, and perhaps even demographic strength—that fueled its rise. However, the subsequent verses reveal that such outward grandeur, though appearing self-sufficient and invincible, is transient. It is a cautionary truth that even the most formidable human empires, nurtured by seemingly endless worldly resources, eventually fall when divine judgment against their pride and injustices arrives. The emphasis on the "roots" and "waters" subtly reminds us that even such power is sustained by external means, implying a dependence on conditions that God ultimately controls, a point made explicitly by Nebuchadnezzar's tree vision in Daniel 4.