The big picture
Ezekiel 31 opens in verse 1 with “And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 9 with “I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden…”, and closes in verse 18 with “To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt…” Repeated or prominent terms include trees, branches, boughs, field, height. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Ezekiel · King James Version · 18Ezekiel 31:1-6
1–6: It came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first…
Ezekiel 31:1–6 opens with “And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month…” and reaches “All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ezekiel 31 develops its own movement around trees, branches, boughs, field, height, with particular weight carried by boughs, branches, field.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
Ezekiel 31:1-6
King James Version1And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness?
3Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs.
4The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field.
5Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth.
6All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations.
Ezekiel 31:7-12
7–12: Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for…
Ezekiel 31:7–12 opens with “Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great…” and reaches “And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him: upon the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ezekiel 31 develops its own movement around trees, branches, boughs, field, height, with particular weight carried by branches, boughs, garden.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters.” The line’s distinctive content terms include branches, fair, greatness. Its relationship to verses 8 shows what work it does in this passage.
“The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chesnut trees were…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
“I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God…” Naming Eden keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Ezekiel 31:7-12
King James Version7Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters.
8The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chesnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty.
9I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him.
10Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD ; Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height;
11I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness.
12And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him: upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the rivers of the land; and all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him.
Ezekiel 31:13-18
13–18: Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, and all the…
Ezekiel 31:13–18 opens with “Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be…” and reaches “To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ezekiel 31 develops its own movement around trees, branches, boughs, field, height, with particular weight carried by trees, earth, Eden.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches:” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top…” The line’s distinctive content terms include height, trees, boughs. Its relationship to verses 13 and 15 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Thus saith the Lord GOD ; In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him…” Naming Lebanon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Ezekiel 31:13-18
King James Version13Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches:
14To 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.
15Thus saith the Lord GOD ; In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.
16I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth.
17They 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.
18To 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 .
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Ezekiel 31:1 begins with “And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,”
Where the chapter turns
Ezekiel 31:10 forms a natural hinge: “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD ; Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is…”
The final note
Ezekiel 31:18 leaves the reader with “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…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words trees, branches, boughs, field, height, waters help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Why do Rachel and Leah agree to leave?
They see themselves as alienated from their father's household and support the journey God has commanded.
What does the boundary accomplish?
It limits hostile crossing and places their future conduct under divine witness.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.