Ezekiel 31

1 On the first day of the third month of the eleventh year of our exile, the Lord spoke to me.
2 "Mortal man," he said, "say to the king of Egypt and all his people: How powerful you are! What can I compare you to?
3 You are like a cedar in Lebanon, With beautiful, shady branches, A tree so tall it reaches the clouds.
4 There was water to make it grow, And underground rivers to feed it. They watered the place where the tree was growing And sent streams to all the trees of the forest.
5 Because it was well-watered, It grew taller than other trees. Its branches grew thick and long.
6 Every kind of bird built nests in its branches; The wild animals bore their young in its shelter; The nations of the world rested in its shade.
7 How beautiful the tree was - So tall, with such long branches. Its roots reached down to the deep-flowing streams.
8 No cedar in God's garden could compare with it. 1 No fir tree ever had such branches, And no plane tree such limbs. No tree in God's own garden was so beautiful.
9 I made it beautiful, with spreading branches. It was the envy of every tree in Eden, the garden of God.
10 "Now then, I, the Sovereign Lord, will tell you what is going to happen to that tree that grew until it reached the clouds. As it grew taller it grew proud;
11 so I have rejected it and will let a foreign ruler have it. He will give that tree what it deserves for its wickedness.
12 Ruthless foreigners will cut it down and leave it. Its branches and broken limbs will fall on every mountain and valley in the country. All the nations that have been living in its shade will go away.
13 The birds will come and perch on the fallen tree, and the wild animals will walk over its branches.
14 And so from now on, no tree, no matter how well-watered it is, will grow that tall again or push its top through the clouds and reach such a height. All of them are doomed to die like mortals, doomed to join those who go down to the world of the dead."
15 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: "On the day when the tree goes to the world of the dead, I will make the underground waters cover it as a sign of mourning. I will hold back the rivers and not let the many streams flow out. Because the tree has died, I will bring darkness over the Lebanon Mountains and make all the trees of the forest wither.
16 When I send it down to the world of the dead, the noise of its downfall will shake the nations. All the trees of Eden and all the choice, well-watered trees of Lebanon who have gone to the world below will be pleased at its downfall.
17 They will go with it to the world of the dead to join those that have already fallen. And all who live under its shadow will be scattered among the nations.
18 "The tree is the king of Egypt and all his people. Not even the trees in Eden were so tall and impressive. But now, like the trees of Eden, it will go down to the world of the dead and join the ungodly and those killed in battle. I have spoken," says the Sovereign Lord.

Ezekiel 31 Commentary

Chapter 31

The glory of Assyria. (1-9) Its fall, and the like for Egypt. (10-18)

Verses 1-9 The falls of others, both into sin and ruin, warn us not to be secure or high-minded. The prophet is to show an instance of one whom the king of Egypt resembled in greatness, the Assyrian, compared to a stately cedar. Those who excel others, make themselves the objects of envy; but the blessings of the heavenly paradise are not liable to such alloy. The utmost security that any creature can give, is but like the shadow of a tree, a scanty and slender protection. But let us flee to God for protection, there we shall be safe. His hand must be owned in the rising of the great men of the earth, and we must not envy them. Though worldly people may seem to have firm prosperity, yet it only seems so.

Verses 10-18 The king of Egypt resembled the king of Assyria in his greatness: here we see he resembles him in his pride. And he shall resemble him in his fall. His own sin brings his ruin. None of our comforts are ever lost, but what have been a thousand times forfeited. When great men fall, many fall with them, as many have fallen before them. The fall of proud men is for warning to others, to keep them humble. See how low Pharaoh lies; and see what all his pomp and pride are come to. It is best to be a lowly tree of righteousness, yielding fruit to the glory of God, and to the good of men. The wicked man is often seen flourishing like the cedar, and spreading like the green bay tree, but he soon passes away, and his place is no more found. Let us then mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace.

Cross References 1

  • 1. 31.8Genesis 2.9.

Footnotes 5

  • [a]. [Probable text] You are like; [Hebrew] Assyria is.
  • [b]. [One ancient translation] clouds; [Hebrew] thick branches.
  • [c]. [One ancient translation] clouds; [Hebrew] thick branches.
  • [d]. [One ancient translation] clouds; [Hebrew] thick branches.
  • [e]. [Probable text] And all . . . nations; [Hebrew unclear.]

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 31

This chapter contains a confirmation of the preceding prophecy, of the ruin of the king of Egypt, by the example of the king of Assyria, to whom he was like in grandeur and pride, and would be in his fall. The time of the prophecy is observed, Eze 31:1, the prophet is ordered to give the following relation to the king of Egypt, Eze 31:2 in which the king of Assyria is compared to a large and flourishing cedar, for the extent of his dominions, the prosperous state of his empire, and his exaltation above all other princes, which drew upon him their envy Eze 31:3-9, wherefore because of his pride, his heart being lifted up with these things, Eze 31:10, ruin came upon him; which is described by the instruments and manner of it, and the effects following it; mourning and fear in some, solace and comfort to others, and destruction to his associates, Eze 31:11-17, wherefore Pharaoh is called upon to consider all this, who was like to him in greatness and pride, and should have the like fate with him; nor could his greatness any more secure him than it did the Assyrian monarch, Eze 31:18.

Ezekiel 31 Commentaries

Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.