Ezekiel 31:14

This happened so that no other trees by the waters would become great in height and set their tops among the clouds, and no other well-watered trees would reach them in height. For they have all been consigned to death, to the depths of the earth, among the mortals who descend to the Pit.’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The prophet delivers a declaration concerning a fallen tree, explaining its demise as a deliberate act to prevent other trees from claiming supreme height. The surrounding context frames this as a prophetic oracle announcing divine judgment on exalted powers.

The words — לְמַ֡עַן (le.Ma.'an) = so that establishes the purpose clause, while מַ֗יִם (Ma.yim) = water grounds the original setting of the tree’s growth. יִגְבְּה֨וּ (yig.be.Hu) = they may be lifted up directly names the prohibited action of exaltation.

The thread — The descent to the depths and the finality of divine judgment echo in Psalms 63:9 and Psalms 82:7, where the proud are brought down to the earth. The warning against repeating ancestral sin that provokes disaster aligns with Nehemiah 13:18.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that exalted status is temporary and subject to divine restraint. It requires the reader to accept that pride inevitably meets a fixed boundary and that judgment is irreversible.

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

לְמַ֡עַןle.Ma.'anso that אֲשֶׁר֩'a.Sherthat לֹא־lo'-not יִגְבְּה֨וּyig.be.Huthey may be lifted up בְקוֹמָתָ֜םve./ko.ma.Ta/min/ height/ their כָּל־kol-any עֲצֵי־'a.tzei-trees of מַ֗יִםMa.yimwater וְלֹֽא־ve./lo'-and/ not יִתְּנ֤וּyi.te.Nuthey may set אֶת־'et-<obj.>צַמַּרְתָּם֙tza.mar.Ta/mtreetop/ their אֶל־'el-to בֵּ֣יןbeinbetween עֲבֹתִ֔ים'a.vo.Timbranches וְלֹֽא־ve./lo'-and/ not יַעַמְד֧וּya.'am.Duthey may stand אֵלֵיהֶ֛ם'e.lei./Hemleaders/ their בְּגָבְהָ֖םbe./ga.ve.Ha/mby/ height/ their כָּל־kol-any שֹׁ֣תֵיSho.teidrinkers of מָ֑יִםMa.yimwater כִּֽי־ki-for כֻלָּם֩khu.La/mall of/ them נִתְּנ֨וּni.te.Nuthey have been given לַמָּ֜וֶתla./Ma.vetto <the>/ death אֶל־'el-to אֶ֣רֶץ'E.retz[the] earth תַּחְתִּ֗יתtach.Titlowest בְּת֛וֹךְbe./Tokhin/ among בְּנֵ֥יbe.Nei[the] children of אָדָ֖ם'a.Damhumankind אֶל־'el-to י֥וֹרְדֵיYor.dei[those who] go down of בֽוֹר׃ סVor[the] pit

King James Version

To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs, neither their trees stand up in their height, all that drink water: for they are all delivered unto death, to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit.

Cross-references

Nehemiah 13:18 Did not your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”
Psalms 63:9 But those who seek my life to destroy it will go into the depths of the earth.
Psalms 82:7 But like mortals you will die, and like rulers you will fall.”
Ezekiel 26:20 then I will bring you down with those who descend to the Pit, to the people of antiquity. I will make you dwell in the earth below like the ancient ruins, with those who descend to the Pit, so that you will no longer be inhabited or set in splendor in the land of the living.
1 Corinthians 10:11 Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
2 Peter 2:6 if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes as an example of what is coming on the ungodly;
Deuteronomy 13:11 Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such a wicked thing among you.
Deuteronomy 21:21 Then all the men of his city will stone him to death. So you must purge the evil from among you, and all Israel will hear and be afraid.
Ezekiel 31:18 Who then is like you in glory and greatness among the trees of Eden? You also will be brought down to the depths of the earth to be with the trees of Eden. You will lie among the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord GOD.’”
Ezekiel 32:18 “Son of man, wail for the multitudes of Egypt, and consign her and the daughters of the mighty nations to the depths of the earth with those who descend to the Pit: