Yechezkel 31:2

2 Ben adam, speak unto Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim, and to his multitude: Whom art thou like in thy greatness?

Yechezkel 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.

Yechezkel 31:2 In-Context

1 1 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the Devar Hashem came unto me, saying,

2 Ben adam, speak unto Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim, and to his multitude: Whom art thou like in thy greatness?

3 Hinei, Ashur (the Assyrian) was a cedar in Levanon with yafeh branches, and with a forest shade, and of a high stature; and his top was above the thick boughs.

4 The mayim made it grow, the tehom (underground water) set him up in height by her streams flowing all around its planting, and sent her rivulets unto all the trees of the sadeh.

5 Therefore his height was exalted above kol atzei hasadeh (all the trees of the field), and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the mayim rabbim, as it sent them out.