Ezekiel 31:2

2 "Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude: 'Whom are you like in your greatness?

Ezekiel 31:2 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 31:2

Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt
To Pharaohhophra, the then reigning king; not to him personally by word of mouth, for the prophet was now in Chaldea; but by delivering out a prophecy concerning him, and which he might have an opportunity of sending to him: and to his multitude;
the multitude of his subjects, of which he boasted, and in whom he trusted: whom art thou like in thy greatness?
look over all the records of time, and into all the empires, kingdoms, and states that have been; draw a comparison between thyself and the greatest potentate that ever was; fancy thyself to be equal to him; this will not secure thee from ruin and destruction; for as they have been humbled, and are fallen, so wilt thou be: pitch for instance on the Assyrian monarch, whose empire has been the most ancient, extensive, and flourishing, and yet now crushed; and as thou art like him in greatness, at least thou thinkest so, so thou art in pride, and wilt be in thine end; to assure of which is the drift of the following account of the king of Assyria.

Ezekiel 31:2 In-Context

1 Now it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 "Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude: 'Whom are you like in your greatness?

3 Indeed Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon, With fine branches that shaded the forest, And of high stature; And its top was among the thick boughs.

4 The waters made it grow; Underground waters gave it height, With their rivers running around the place where it was planted, And sent out rivulets to all the trees of the field.

5 'Therefore its height was exalted above all the trees of the field; Its boughs were multiplied, And its branches became long because of the abundance of water, As it sent them out.