Ezekiel 19:11
New International Version
Its branches were strong, fit for a ruler’s scepter. It towered high above the thick foliage, conspicuous for its height and for its many branches.

New Living Translation
Its branches became strong— strong enough to be a ruler’s scepter. It grew very tall, towering above all others. It stood out because of its height and its many lush branches.

English Standard Version
Its strong stems became rulers’ scepters; it towered aloft among the thick boughs; it was seen in its height with the mass of its branches.

Berean Standard Bible
It had strong branches, fit for a ruler’s scepter. It towered high above the thick branches, conspicuous for its height and for its dense foliage.

King James Bible
And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.

New King James Version
She had strong branches for scepters of rulers. She towered in stature above the thick branches, And was seen in her height amid the dense foliage.

New American Standard Bible
‘And it had strong stems fit for scepters of rulers, And its height was raised above the clouds So that it was seen in its height with the mass of its branches.

NASB 1995
And it had strong branches fit for scepters of rulers, And its height was raised above the clouds So that it was seen in its height with the mass of its branches.

NASB 1977
‘And it had strong branches fit for scepters of rulers, And its height was raised above the clouds So that it was seen in its height with the mass of its branches.

Legacy Standard Bible
And it had strong thick branches fit for scepters of rulers, And its height was exalted above the clouds So that it was seen in its exaltedness with the mass of its foliage.

Amplified Bible
‘And it had strong branches for the scepters of rulers, And its height was raised above the thick branches and into the clouds So that it was seen [easily] in its height with the mass of its branches.

Christian Standard Bible
It had strong branches, fit for the scepters of rulers; its height towered among the clouds. So it was conspicuous for its height as well as its many branches.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
It had strong branches, fit for the scepters of rulers; its height towered among the clouds. So it was conspicuous for its height as well as its many branches.

American Standard Version
And it had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and their stature was exalted among the thick boughs, and they were seen in their height with the multitude of their branches.

Contemporary English Version
Her strong branches became symbols of authority, and she was taller than all other trees--everyone could see how strong and healthy she was.

English Revised Version
And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and their stature was exalted among the thick boughs, and they were seen in their height with the multitude of their branches.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Its branches were strong. They were used to make scepters for kings. It grew to be tall with many branches around it, and everyone saw it because of its many branches.

Good News Translation
Its branches were strong and grew to be royal scepters. The vine grew tall enough to reach the clouds; everyone saw how leafy and tall it was.

International Standard Version
Strong were its boughs, suitable for use in the scepter of a ruler. It reached to the clouds, noticeable because of its height and its abundant branches.

Majority Standard Bible
It had strong branches, fit for a ruler?s scepter. It towered high above the thick branches, conspicuous for its height and for its dense foliage.

NET Bible
Its boughs were strong, fit for rulers' scepters; it reached up into the clouds. It stood out because of its height and its many branches.

New Heart English Bible
It had strong rods for the scepters of those who bore rule, and their stature was exalted among the thick boughs, and they were seen in their height with the multitude of their branches.

Webster's Bible Translation
And she had strong rods for the scepters of them that bore rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her hight with the multitude of her branches.

World English Bible
It had strong branches for the scepters of those who ruled. Their stature was exalted among the thick boughs. They were seen in their height with the multitude of their branches.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And she has strong rods for scepters of rulers, "" And she is high in stature above—between thick branches, "" And it appears in its height "" In the multitude of its thin shoots.

Young's Literal Translation
And it hath strong rods for sceptres of rulers, And high is its stature above thick branches, And it appeareth in its height In the multitude of its thin shoots.

Smith's Literal Translation
And there will be to her rods of strength to the rods of those ruling, and his stature will be lifted up between the thick boughs, and he will be seen in his height from the multitude of his branches.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And she hath strong rods to make sceptres for them that bear rule, and her stature was exalted among the branches: and she saw her height in the multitude of her branches.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And her strong branches were made into scepters for the rulers, and her stature was exalted among the branches. And she saw her own loftiness among the multitude of her branches.

New American Bible
One strong branch grew into a royal scepter. So tall it towered among the clouds, conspicuous in height, with dense foliage.

New Revised Standard Version
Its strongest stem became a ruler’s scepter; it towered aloft among the thick boughs; it stood out in its height with its mass of branches.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And she had strong rods for scepters of the rulers upon the great branches, and their stature rose up higher among its shoots, and their height was seen and the multitude of their tendrils.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And she had strong rods for the scepters of the Rulers, and their stature was lifted up from among her shoots and they appeared in their height and in the abundance of their branches
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And she had strong rods To be sceptres for them that bore rule; And her stature was exalted Among the thick branches, And she was seen in her height With the multitude of her tendrils.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And she became a rod for a tribe of princes, and was elevated in her bulk in the midst of other trees, and she saw her bulk in the multitude of her branches.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Lament for the Princes of Israel
10Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of the abundant waters. 11It had strong branches, fit for a ruler’s scepter. It towered high above the thick branches, conspicuous for its height and for its dense foliage. 12But it was uprooted in fury, cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up its fruit. Its strong branches were stripped off and they withered; the fire consumed them.…

Cross References
Psalm 80:8-11
You uprooted a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and transplanted it. / You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. / The mountains were covered by its shade, and the mighty cedars with its branches. ...

Isaiah 5:1-7
I will sing for my beloved a song of his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. / He dug it up and cleared the stones and planted the finest vines. He built a watchtower in the middle and dug out a winepress as well. He waited for the vineyard to yield good grapes, but the fruit it produced was sour! / “And now, O dwellers of Jerusalem and men of Judah, I exhort you to judge between Me and My vineyard. ...

Jeremiah 2:21
I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine?

Hosea 10:1
Israel was a luxuriant vine, yielding fruit for himself. The more his fruit increased, the more he increased the altars. The better his land produced, the better he made the sacred pillars.

John 15:1-6
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. / He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful. / You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ...

Matthew 21:33-41
Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. / When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit. / But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. ...

Isaiah 11:1
Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.

Romans 11:17-24
Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root, / do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. / You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ...

Isaiah 27:2-6
In that day: “Sing about a fruitful vineyard. / I, the LORD, am its keeper; I water it continually. I guard it night and day so no one can disturb it; / I am not angry. If only thorns and briers confronted Me, I would march and trample them, I would burn them to the ground. ...

Jeremiah 12:10
Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard; they have trampled My plot of ground. They have turned My pleasant field into a desolate wasteland.

Mark 12:1-9
Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. / At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. / But they seized the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. ...

Luke 20:9-16
Then He proceeded to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it out to some tenants, and went away for a long time. / At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed. / So he sent another servant, but they beat him and treated him shamefully, sending him away empty-handed. ...

Genesis 49:9-10
Judah is a young lion—my son, you return from the prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? / The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.

Zechariah 11:1-3
Open your doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may consume your cedars! / Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen; the majestic trees are ruined! Wail, O oaks of Bashan, for the dense forest has been cut down! / Listen to the wailing of the shepherds, for their glory is in ruins. Listen to the roaring of the young lions, for the thickets of the Jordan are destroyed.

Revelation 14:18-19
Still another angel, with authority over the fire, came from the altar and called out in a loud voice to the angel with the sharp sickle, “Swing your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the vine of the earth, because its grapes are ripe.” / So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and gathered the grapes of the earth, and he threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.


Treasury of Scripture

And she had strong rods for the scepters of them that bore rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.

Ezekiel 19:12,14
But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit: her strong rods were broken and withered; the fire consumed them…

Ezekiel 21:10,13
It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree…

Genesis 49:10
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

her stature

Ezekiel 31:3
Behold, 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.

Daniel 4:11,20,21
The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: …

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Appeared Appeareth Authority Bare Bear Bore Boughs Branches Clouds Conspicuous Exalted Fit Foliage Height High Hight Lifted Mass Multitude Raised Rod Rods Rule Rulers Ruler's Scepter Scepters Stature Stem Strong Strongest Tall Tendrils Thick Towered
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Appeared Appeareth Authority Bare Bear Bore Boughs Branches Clouds Conspicuous Exalted Fit Foliage Height High Hight Lifted Mass Multitude Raised Rod Rods Rule Rulers Ruler's Scepter Scepters Stature Stem Strong Strongest Tall Tendrils Thick Towered
Ezekiel 19
1. A lamentation for the princes of Israel, by the parable of a lion whelping in a pit
10. and for Jerusalem, under the parable of a wasted vine














Its strong branches
The phrase "strong branches" in Hebrew is "עַנְפֵי עָז" (anfei az). The imagery of strong branches suggests vitality and potential for leadership. In the context of Ezekiel, these branches symbolize the leaders or princes of Israel, particularly the Davidic line. The strength of these branches indicates the God-given authority and capability intended for the rulers of Israel. Historically, this reflects the period when the Davidic dynasty was established as a powerful and divinely sanctioned monarchy.

were fit for rulers’ scepters
The Hebrew word for "scepters" is "שֵׁבֶט" (shevet), which can also mean "tribe" or "staff." This dual meaning underscores the connection between leadership and the people they govern. A scepter is a symbol of authority and governance, and the phrase suggests that the leaders of Israel were divinely appointed and equipped to rule. The imagery of a scepter also points to the messianic hope in the line of David, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who is seen as the ultimate ruler and shepherd of His people.

It towered high above the thick branches
The phrase "towered high" conveys a sense of prominence and distinction. In the Hebrew text, the word "גָּבַהּ" (gava) is used, meaning "to be high" or "exalted." This suggests that the Davidic line was meant to stand out among the nations, reflecting Israel's unique covenant relationship with God. The "thick branches" symbolize the surrounding nations or other powers, indicating that Israel's monarchy was intended to be preeminent and influential.

conspicuous for its height
The word "conspicuous" in Hebrew is "נִרְאָה" (nir'ah), meaning "visible" or "apparent." This visibility signifies the intended glory and renown of Israel's leaders. The height of the branches represents the elevated status and the divine favor bestowed upon the Davidic kings. This imagery serves as a reminder of the potential for Israel to be a light to the nations, showcasing God's power and faithfulness.

and for its dense foliage
The "dense foliage" symbolizes prosperity, abundance, and the flourishing of the nation under righteous leadership. In Hebrew, "עָבֹת" (avot) refers to thickness or density, suggesting a fullness of life and blessing. This imagery is reminiscent of the blessings promised to Israel for obedience to God's covenant. It also serves as a metaphor for spiritual vitality and the fruitfulness that comes from living in alignment with God's will.

(11) Thick branches should rather be translated clouds. It is a hyperbolical expression in the figure, to express the excellence of the vine of Israel.

Verse 11. - The verse describes generally the apparent strength of the kingly line of David. The word for thick branches, which occurs again in Ezekiel 31:3, 10, 14, is taken by Keil and Furst as meaning "thick clouds," as describing the height to which the tree grew. So the Revised Version (margin).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
It had
וַיִּֽהְיוּ־ (way·yih·yū-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

strong
עֹ֗ז (‘ōz)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5797: Strength, might

branches,
מַטּ֣וֹת (maṭ·ṭō·wṯ)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe

fit for
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

a ruler's
מֹֽשְׁלִ֔ים (mō·šə·lîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 4910: To rule, have dominion, reign

scepter.
שִׁבְטֵי֙ (šiḇ·ṭê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe

It towered
וַתִּגְבַּ֥הּ (wat·tiḡ·bah)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1361: To soar, be lofty, to be haughty

high
קֽוֹמָת֖וֹ (qō·w·mā·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6967: Height

above
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the thick branches,
עֲבֹתִ֑ים (‘ă·ḇō·ṯîm)
Noun - common plural
Strong's 5688: Something intwined, a string, wreath, foliage

conspicuous
וַיֵּרָ֣א (way·yê·rā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

for its height
בְגָבְה֔וֹ (ḇə·ḡā·ḇə·hōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1363: Elation, grandeur, arrogance

and for its dense
בְּרֹ֖ב (bə·rōḇ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7230: Multitude, abundance, greatness

foliage.
דָּלִיֹּתָֽיו׃ (dā·lî·yō·ṯāw)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1808: Something dangling, a bough


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 19:11 It had strong rods for the scepters (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 19:10
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