Ezekiel 31:8

8 No cedar in God's garden was like it, no cypress tree could compare with its boughs, no chestnut tree could rival its branches, no tree in God's garden could match its beauty.

Ezekiel 31:8 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 31:8

The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him
That is, could not rise so high as this cedar, and overtop him, and obscure his glory; even those that were most excellent, which grew in Eden, near to which Babylon stood, and where a mighty king dwelt. The sense is, that the greatest kings and potentates in the whole world, which is like a garden planted by the Lord, were not equal to the king of Assyria, and much less exceeded him in grandeur, wealth, and power: the fir trees were not like his boughs:
lesser kings and princes, comparable to fir trees for the beauty, regularity, order, and flourishing condition of their kingdoms; yet these were but petty states, and not to be compared even with the provinces of the king of Assyria: and the chesnut trees were not like his branches;
lesser states still: which, though well set, and well spread, and full of people, yet not answerable to some countries that were in the provinces that belonged to the Assyrian empire: not any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty;
no king, prince, or potentate whatever in the whole world, was to be compared to him for royal majesty and greatness. The Targum is,

``mighty kings could not prevail against him, because of the strength of his power, which he had from the Lord; rulers could not stand before his army, and mighty men could not prevail against his auxiliaries, because of the strength of power he had from the Lord; there is none like to him in his strength.''

Ezekiel 31:8 In-Context

6 In its boughs all the birds of the air had their nests, beneath its branches all the wild animals gave birth to their young, and all great nations lived in its shade.
7 It was beautiful in its greatness and the length of its branches, because its roots went down to plenty of water.
8 No cedar in God's garden was like it, no cypress tree could compare with its boughs, no chestnut tree could rival its branches, no tree in God's garden could match its beauty.
9 I made it so beautiful, with its many branches; all trees in 'Eden, God's garden, envied it.'
10 "Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because you are so tall, because he has lifted his crown above the leafy boughs, because he has grown so arrogant about his height,
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.