The Meaning of Ezekiel 17:17 Explained

Ezekiel 17:17

KJV: Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:

YLT: And not with a great force, and with a numerous assembly, Doth Pharaoh maintain him in battle, By pouring out a mount, and in building a fortification, To cut off many souls.

Darby: Neither shall Pharaoh with a mighty army and a great assemblage do anything for him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts to cut off many persons.

ASV: Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts, to cut off many persons.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Neither shall Pharaoh  with [his] mighty  army  and great  company  make  for him in the war,  by casting up  mounts,  and building  forts,  to cut off  many  persons: 

What does Ezekiel 17:17 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 17

1  Under the parable of two eagles and a vine
11  is shown God's judgment upon Jerusalem for revolting from Babylon to Egypt
22  God promises to plant the cedar of the Gospel

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 17:17 mean?

And nor with [his] army mighty and company great will do anything - Pharaoh in the war when they heap up a siege mound and build a wall to cut off persons many
וְלֹא֩ בְחַ֨יִל גָּד֜וֹל וּבְקָהָ֣ל רָ֗ב יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה אוֹת֤וֹ פַרְעֹה֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה בִּשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ סֹלְלָ֖ה וּבִבְנ֣וֹת דָּיֵ֑ק לְהַכְרִ֖ית נְפָשׁ֥וֹת רַבּֽוֹת

וְלֹא֩  And  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
בְחַ֨יִל  with  [his]  army 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
גָּד֜וֹל  mighty 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וּבְקָהָ֣ל  and  company 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קָהָל  
Sense: assembly, company, congregation, convocation.
רָ֗ב  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה  will  do  anything 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אוֹת֤וֹ  - 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
פַרְעֹה֙  Pharaoh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה  in  the  war 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
בִּשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ  when  they  heap  up 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שֶׂפֶק 
Sense: to pour, pour out, spill.
סֹלְלָ֖ה  a  siege  mound 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: סׄלְלָה  
Sense: mound.
וּבִבְנ֣וֹת  and  build 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
דָּיֵ֑ק  a  wall 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּיֵק  
Sense: bulwark, siege-wall, sidewall.
לְהַכְרִ֖ית  to  cut  off 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
נְפָשׁ֥וֹת  persons 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
רַבּֽוֹת  many 
Parse: Adjective, feminine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.