Ezekiel 31:1-11

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

2 Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his people. Whom art thou like in thy greatness?

3 Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches and with a shadowing shroud and of a high stature; and his top was highest among the thick boughs.

4 The waters made him grow; the deep set him up on high; her rivers ran round his feet and sent her flow to all the trees of the field.

5 Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of his many waters, which he sent forth.

6 All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches all the beasts of the field brought forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt many Gentiles.

7 He made himself beautiful in his greatness, with the extension of his branches: for his root was by many waters.

8 The cedars in the garden of God did not cover him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chestnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty.

9 I have made him beautiful with the multitude of his branches: and all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him.

10 Therefore thus hath the Lord GOD said; Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he has shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height;

11 I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the strong one of the Gentiles; he shall surely deal with him; I have cut him down for his wickedness.

Ezekiel 31:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

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.