The Meaning of Ezekiel 31:17 Explained

Ezekiel 31:17

KJV: They 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.

YLT: Also they with him have gone down to sheol, Unto the pierced of the sword, And -- his arm -- they dwelt in his shade in the midst of nations.

Darby: They also went down into Sheol with him unto them that were slain with the sword, and that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the nations.

ASV: They also went down into Sheol with him unto them that are slain by the sword; yea, they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the nations.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They 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. 

What does Ezekiel 31:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Some other nations fell when Assyria did; this great tree fell on other trees and took them down with it. Some of them had even sustained Assyria and profited from Assyria"s greatness, but she fell on them.

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 31:17 mean?

also they with it went down to hell with those [slain] by the sword and [those] [who] [were] its [strong] arm dwelt in its shadows among the nations
גַּם־ הֵ֗ם אִתּ֛וֹ יָרְד֥וּ שְׁא֖וֹלָה אֶל־ חַלְלֵי־ חָ֑רֶב וּזְרֹע֛וֹ יָשְׁב֥וּ בְצִלּ֖וֹ בְּת֥וֹךְ גּוֹיִֽם

גַּם־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אִתּ֛וֹ  with  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
יָרְד֥וּ  went  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
שְׁא֖וֹלָה  to  hell 
Parse: Noun, common singular, third person feminine singular
Root: שְׁאֹול  
Sense: sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit.
חַלְלֵי־  those  [slain]  by 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: חָלָל 
Sense: slain, fatally wounded, pierced.
חָ֑רֶב  the  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
וּזְרֹע֛וֹ  and  [those]  [who]  [were]  its  [strong]  arm 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: זְרֹועַ  
Sense: arm, forearm, shoulder, strength.
יָשְׁב֥וּ  dwelt 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בְצִלּ֖וֹ  in  its  shadows 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צֵל  
Sense: shadow, shade.
בְּת֥וֹךְ  among  the 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
גּוֹיִֽם  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.