uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parables

General Information:

These are God’s words to Pharaoh about Assyria. God gives his message in the form of a parable about a great cedar tree.

(Occurrence 0) Behold!

(Some words not found in UHB: see/lo/see! ʼAshshūr cedar in,Lebanon beautiful_of branches and,a_forest shade and,tall_of height and=between clouds she/it_was treetop_of,its )

Alternate translation: [Look!] or [Listen!] or [Pay attention to what I am about to tell you!]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / parables

(Occurrence 0) Assyria was a cedar

(Some words not found in UHB: see/lo/see! ʼAshshūr cedar in,Lebanon beautiful_of branches and,a_forest shade and,tall_of height and=between clouds she/it_was treetop_of,its )

In this parable, God speaks about Assyria as if it were a great tree to emphasize how great and powerful the Assyrians were. This parable continues until 31:9. Alternate translation: [Assyria was like a cedar]

(Occurrence 0) the branches formed its treetop

(Some words not found in UHB: see/lo/see! ʼAshshūr cedar in,Lebanon beautiful_of branches and,a_forest shade and,tall_of height and=between clouds she/it_was treetop_of,its )

Some versions of the Bible translate this as “the top of the tree was in the clouds.” Alternate translation: [its top was above the branches of the other trees]