The Meaning of Ezekiel 31:14 Explained

Ezekiel 31:14

KJV: 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.

YLT: In order that none of the trees of the waters May become haughty because of their stature, Nor give their foliage between thickets, Nor any drinking waters stand up unto them in their haughtiness, For all of them are given up to death, Unto the earth -- the lower part, In the midst of the sons of men, Unto those going down to the pit.

Darby: to the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves in their stature, nor set their top amidst the thick boughs, and that none of them that drink water stand up in his height by himself; for they are all given over unto death in the lower parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit.

ASV: to the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves in their stature, neither set their top among the thick boughs, nor that their mighty ones stand up on their height, even 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Ezekiel 31:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This fate had befallen Assyria in part so other greatly blessed, proud nations would learn not to exalt themselves. All nations, like trees, eventually fall down and return to oblivion like human corpses do to the dust.

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 31

1  A relation unto Pharaoh
3  of the glory of Assyria
10  and the fall thereof for pride
18  The like destruction of Egypt

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 31:14 mean?

So that no may ever again exalt themselves for their height all trees by the waters and nor set - their tops to among the thick boughs that no to reach up to them terebinth tree may ever be high [enough] which drinks water for they all have been delivered to death the earth the depths of Among the sons of men with who go down to the Pit -
לְמַ֡עַן אֲשֶׁר֩ לֹא־ יִגְבְּה֨וּ בְקוֹמָתָ֜ם כָּל־ עֲצֵי־ מַ֗יִם וְלֹֽא־ יִתְּנ֤וּ אֶת־ צַמַּרְתָּם֙ אֶל־ בֵּ֣ין עֲבֹתִ֔ים וְלֹֽא־ יַעַמְד֧וּ אֵלֵיהֶ֛ם בְּגָבְהָ֖ם שֹׁ֣תֵי מָ֑יִם כִּֽי־ כֻלָּם֩ נִתְּנ֨וּ לַמָּ֜וֶת אֶ֣רֶץ תַּחְתִּ֗ית בְּת֛וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י אָדָ֖ם אֶל־ י֥וֹרְדֵי בֽוֹר ס

לְמַ֡עַן  So 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
אֲשֶׁר֩  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִגְבְּה֨וּ  may  ever  again  exalt  themselves 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: גָּבַהּ  
Sense: to be high, be exalted.
בְקוֹמָתָ֜ם  for  their  height 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: קֹומָה  
Sense: height.
עֲצֵי־  trees 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
מַ֗יִם  by  the  waters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
וְלֹֽא־  and  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִתְּנ֤וּ  set 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
צַמַּרְתָּם֙  their  tops 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: צַמֶּרֶת  
Sense: treetop.
עֲבֹתִ֔ים  the  thick  boughs 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: עָבֹות 
Sense: cord, rope, cordage, foliage, interwoven foliage.
וְלֹֽא־  that  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יַעַמְד֧וּ  to  reach  up  to  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
אֵלֵיהֶ֛ם  terebinth  tree 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אַיִל 
Sense: ram.
בְּגָבְהָ֖ם  may  ever  be  high  [enough] 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: גֹּבַהּ  
Sense: height, exaltation.
שֹׁ֣תֵי  which  drinks 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
מָ֑יִם  water 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
כֻלָּם֩  they  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
נִתְּנ֨וּ  have  been  delivered 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לַמָּ֜וֶת  to  death 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
אֶ֣רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
תַּחְתִּ֗ית  the  depths 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: תַּחְתִּי  
Sense: low, lower, lowest.
בְּת֛וֹךְ  of  Among 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
בְּנֵ֥י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אָדָ֖ם  of  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
י֥וֹרְדֵי  who  go  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
בֽוֹר  to  the  Pit 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּור 
Sense: pit, well, cistern.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation