Ezekiel 31:13

All the birds of the air nested on its fallen trunk, and all the beasts of the field lived among its boughs.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Ezekiel addresses the exiled community, describing the immediate aftermath of a massive cedar's destruction. The vision follows the statement that ruthless foreigners felled the tree and scattered its branches across the earth.

The words — מַפַּלְתּוֹ (mappaltô) literally means "its fallen trunk," and יִשְׁכְּנוּ (yishkənu) translates to "they dwelt" or "nested." These terms shift the imagery from a living, towering structure to a decaying foundation that hosts scavengers and wild animals.

The thread — The pattern of leaving a defeated leader or nation to birds and beasts appears in Ezekiel 32:4, Isaiah 18:6, and Ezekiel 29:5. Each instance follows the execution of divine judgment against proud powers.

Why it lands — The text first records that the fallen trunk and broken boughs become a common dwelling for air and field creatures. It then demands that readers acknowledge the finality of divine reversal: former height and shade are replaced by universal, undifferentiated decay.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

עַל־'al-on מַפַּלְתּ֥וֹma.pal.T/ofallen trunk/ its יִשְׁכְּנ֖וּyish.ke.Nuthey dwelt כָּל־kol-every ע֣וֹףof<the> bird of הַשָּׁמָ֑יִםha./sha.Ma.yimthe/ heavens וְאֶל־ve./'el-and/ to פֹּארֹתָ֣יוpo.ro.Ta/vbranches/ its הָי֔וּha.Yuthey came כֹּ֖לkolevery חַיַּ֥תchai.Yat<the> animal of הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃ha./sa.Dehthe/ field

King James Version

Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches:

Cross-references

Ezekiel 32:4 I will abandon you on the land and hurl you into the open field. I will cause all the birds of the air to settle upon you, and all the beasts of the earth to eat their fill of you.
Isaiah 18:6 They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey, and to the beasts of the land. The birds will feed on them in summer, and all the wild animals in winter.
Ezekiel 29:5 I will leave you in the desert, you and all the fish of your streams. You will fall on the open field and will not be taken away or gathered for burial. I have given you as food to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the air.
Revelation 19:17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God,