Ezekiel 31:17

Eze 31:17 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.

Ver. 17. They also went down into hell with him.] It was wont to be said that hell was paved with kings’ crests and shavelings’ bald pates. Henry VIII was told on his deathbed that he was now going to the place of kings. See Isa 30:33. What a coil kept this Esarhaddon in his time, as being superstitibus terror, praemortuis laeitia, complicibus exitium, sui ipsius ruina! {a}

{a} Oecolamp.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze_31:17

They . . . that dwelt under His shadow in the midst of the heathen.

Under God's shadow among the heathen

Whatever may be the primary meaning of these words, they have a very blessed application to those who have gone forth from so many Christian families into heathen lands. For no choice of their own, and simply in obedience to their King's command, hundreds of our sons and daughters have gone forth to dwell in the midst of the heathen. They have taken up their home amid conditions which they would not have chosen had it not been for the constraining love of Christ, and the imperative need of dying men; and as fond relatives and friends regard their lot from a distance, they are often filled with anxious forebodings. May they not be involved in some sudden riot, and sacrificed to a frenzy of hate? May not the sanitary conditions and methods of life be seriously detrimental to their health or morals? "Oh, if only I could be there," you sigh. Hush! Christ is there; as near them as He is to you, casting over them the shadow of His presence, beckoning them to His secret place. He is the shadow of a great Rock in a weary land; or like the canopy of cloud that hovered over the camp of Israel by day, screening it from the torrid glare. Do not fear to trust your loved ones to the immortal Lover, who fainteth not, neither is weary. The hand that would harm is arrested and paralysed when it attempts to penetrate that safe enclosure. (F. B. Meyer, B. A.)

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The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

his arm, that dwelt under his shadow--those who were the helpers or tool of his tyranny, and therefore enjoyed his protection (for example, Syria and her neighbors). These were sure to share her fate. Compare the same phrase as to the Jews living under the protection of their king (Lam 4:20); both alike "making flesh their arm, and in heart departing from the Lord" (Jer 17:5).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 17. They also went down into hell with him] Into remediless destruction.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

17. They also … into hell] These also are gone down into Sheòl, ref. being to the “trees of Eden,” Eze_31:16.

were his arm, that dwelt] and his arm, that dwelt. His “arm” is his helpers (Eze_17:9). The construction is difficult (read probably cons. plur. of part. for “that dwelt;” om. of rel. improbable); cf. Eze_32:15. LXX. points “his seed” for “his arm,” but that “seed” could mean underwood (Corn.) has no probability.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They also went down to hell with him,.... To the grave with him; many of his nobles, princes, generals, soldiers, and subjects:

unto them that be slain with the sword; to be buried and lie with them who had fallen by the sword, as a just punishment for their iniquities:

and they that were his arm; either that leaned on his arm, were dependents upon him; or his ministers, his instruments, whom he employed under him as his deputies, to govern the several provinces that belonged to him; or rather his allies and auxiliaries, who helped and assisted him on occasion:

that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the Heathen; in the midst of the nations subject to the Assyrian empire; such who put themselves under the protection of it, lived comfortably under it, and continued with it to the last; these shared the same fate as that did. The Targum is,

"his governors are broken, whom he strengthened in the midst of the kingdom.''

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Arm; those in power. Septuagint, "his seed." Hebrew Zora, (Haydock) means both.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

They also; either his neighbour kings and princes, or those that were his own subjects, but rich and mighty.

Went down into hell; were broken and perished with him, and went to those God had slain for their pride and wickedness.

They that were his arm; his loyal and faithful subjects and friends abroad, who having been protected by him, remembered it, and adhered to him to support him; but all fell, are extinct, and gone down to the pit, where are many proud, but o pride; where all know themselves dust and ashes, and God glorious, holy, and just.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

17. They that were his arm — See note Eze_30:21.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They that were his arm. The words point to the allies, in the first instance of Assyria, and secondly of Egypt. The last words of the verse present a striking parallel to Lam_4:20.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They also - His neighbouring kings. Hell - Perished with him, and went to those whom God had slain for their pride and wickedness. They that were his arm - His loyal and faithful subjects and friends, on whom he relied, and by whom he acted.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Yahweh's parable about the cedar continues.

they also went down with it to Sheol

Here "went down ... to Sheol" is an idiom that means to die. AT: "those trees of Lebanon also died and went down to Sheol with the cedar" (See: Idiom)

who had been killed by the sword

Here "sword" represents enemies who fought them in battle. This can be stated in active form. AT: "whom enemies had killed with swords" or "who had died in battle" (See: Active or Passive and Metonymy)

These were its strong arm

"These trees of Lebanon were its strong arm." The phrase "strong arm" represents "power." AT: "These trees of Lebanon were the power of the cedar" or "These trees strengthened the cedar" (See: Metonymy)

Which of the trees in Eden was your equal in glory and greatness?

"Which of these trees in Eden had as much glory as you and was as great as you?" God asks Pharaoh this question to show him that the parable applies to him and his country. It can start with "So Pharaoh" or "So Egypt." AT: "None of the trees in Eden was your equal in glory and greatness!" (See: Rhetorical Question)

For you will be brought down

This can be stated in active form. AT: "For I will bring you down" (See: Active or Passive)

with the trees of Eden

"like the other trees of Eden"

to the lowest parts of the earth

"to a place deep in the ground"

among the uncircumcised

"where you will be with people who are not circumcised"

this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration

Yahweh speaks of himself by name to express the certainty of what he is declaring. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 5:11. AT: "this is what the Lord Yahweh has declared" or "this is what I, the Lord Yahweh, have declared" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)

translationWords

Hades

sword

Eden

glory

earth

circumcise

Lord Yahweh

declare

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

and his allies, who dwelt in his shade [Heb. וּזְרֹעוֹ, lit. and his arm,] and his helpers, who dwelt in his shade.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.