Ezekiel 31:8

8 The cedars in the garden of God could not rival it; the cypresses ^[a] could not compare with its branches, nor the plane trees ^[b] match its boughs. No tree in the garden of God could compare with 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 All the birds of the air nested in its branches, and all the beasts of the field gave birth beneath its boughs; all the great nations lived in its shade.

7 It was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its limbs, for its roots extended to abundant waters.

8 The cedars in the garden of God could not rival it; the cypresses could not compare with its branches, nor the plane trees match its boughs. No tree in the garden of God could compare with its beauty.

9 I made it beautiful with its many branches, the envy of all the trees of Eden, which were in the garden of God.’

10 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Since it became great in height and set its top among the clouds, and it grew proud on account of its height,

Footnotes

• [a]. Or pines or junipers or firs
• [b]. Possibly chestnut or juniper