Ezekiel 31:12

12 et succident illum alieni et crudelissimi nationum et proicient eum super montes et in cunctis convallibus corruent rami eius et confringentur arbusta eius in universis rupibus terrae et recedent de umbraculo eius omnes populi terrae et relinquent eum

Ezekiel 31:12 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 31:12

And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off,
&c.] Cut off the boughs and branches of this cedar, and cut him down to the ground; that is, utterly destroyed him, his empire and monarchy: these "strangers" were the Medes, who lived in a country distant from Assyria; and "the terrible of the nations", the cruel and merciless Chaldeans, the soldiers of the king of Babylon's army; see ( Ezekiel 30:11 ) : and have left him upon the mountains,
like a tree cut down there, and its boughs and branches lopped off, which roll down from thence into the valleys, and by the rivers of water signifying his depression from a high and exalted state to a very low one, as follows: and in all the valley his branches are fallen, and his boughs are
broken by all the rivers of the land;
signifying that many provinces and countries under his dominion were broken off, and by force taken away from him; or they broke off and revolted of themselves, and either set up for themselves, and recovered their former power and authority; or gave up themselves to the conqueror. The Targum is,

``and in all valleys his army fell, and his auxiliaries were scattered by all the rivers of the land:''

and all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have
left him:
those that joined themselves to his empire, put themselves under his protection, or sought his friendship and alliance, now withdrew themselves from him, and left him alone to shift for himself; as frightened birds and beasts will do, when a tree is cut down and fallen, in the boughs or under the shadow of which they dwelt. The Targum paraphrases it,

``from the shadow of his kingdom.''

Ezekiel 31:12 In-Context

10 propterea haec dicit Dominus Deus pro eo quod sublimatus est in altitudine et dedit summitatem suam virentem atque condensam et elevatum est cor eius in altitudine sua

11 tradidi eum in manu fortissimi gentium faciens faciet ei iuxta impietatem eius eieci eum

12 et succident illum alieni et crudelissimi nationum et proicient eum super montes et in cunctis convallibus corruent rami eius et confringentur arbusta eius in universis rupibus terrae et recedent de umbraculo eius omnes populi terrae et relinquent eum

13 in ruina eius habitaverunt omnia volatilia caeli et in ramis eius fuerunt universae bestiae regionis

14 quam ob rem non elevabuntur in altitudine sua omnia ligna aquarum neque ponent sublimitatem suam inter nemorosa atque frondosa nec stabunt in sublimitate eorum omnia quae inrigantur aquis quia omnes traditi sunt in mortem ad terram ultimam in medio filiorum hominum ad eos qui descendunt in lacum