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.
Parallel translations
- WEB They also went down into Sheol with him to those who are slain by the sword; yes, those who were his arm, who lived under his shadow in the middle of the nations.
- BSB They too descended with it to Sheol, to those slain by the sword. As its allies they had lived in its shade among the nations.
- NKJV They also went down to hell with it, with those slain by the sword; and those who were its strong arm dwelt in its shadows among the nations.
- NASB They also went down with it to Sheol to those who were slain by the sword; and those who were its strength lived in its shade among the nations.
- NLT Its allies, too, were all destroyed and had passed away. They had gone down to the grave—all those nations that had lived in its shade.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Egypt's allies and subjects—'those who were his arm'—go down to Sheol with it. Those who relied on Egypt's strength share its ruin.
Overview
The nations that lived under Egypt's shadow and lent it military support descend with it to the place of the slain. Trusting in a doomed power means sharing its doom, a sober lesson against placing confidence in human might. Scripture repeatedly warns Israel and others not to lean on Egypt's arm (Isaiah 31:1) but on the Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Ps 9:17The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.
- Ezek 31:6All 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.
- Ezek 31:3Behold, 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.
- Ezek 32:20–31They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword: she is delivered to the sword: draw her and all her multitudes.
- Ezek 30:21–25Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword.
- Dan 4:11–12The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
- Ezek 30:6–8Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD.
- Neh 3:17–18After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilah, in his part.
- Mark 4:32But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
- Lam 4:20The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.
- Isa 14:9Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 31:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.