Ezekiel 31:16

16 I moved together heathen men, when I led him down to hell, with them that went down into the pit. And all trees of liking, noble trees, and full clear in the Lebanon, all that were moisted with waters, were comforted in the lowest land. (I altogether shook the heathen, when I led it down to Sheol, with them who went down into the pit. And all the trees of Eden, noble trees, and the most beautiful in Lebanon, all that were watered with water, were comforted in the lowest land.)

Ezekiel 31:16 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 31:16

I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall
As, when a large cedar was cut down and fell in Lebanon, the noise of it was heard at a distance; so when this mighty monarch and monarchy fell, the nations of the world, and the kings of them, heard of it far and near, and shook through fear of what would be the consequence, lest they should fall also in like manner: when I cast him down to hell,
or "the grave", with them that descend into the pit;
in common with other men that die, and are buried: it may refer to his subjects and soldiers that perished with him, who were slain by the sword, and were buried with him, and he with them; no distinction being made between them: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that
drink water;
the greatest kings and potentates of the world, the chief and principal of the Assyrian empire; all that ruled over multitudes of people, and partook of their wealth and riches, and were supported in grandeur and dignity; who had been in the state of the dead before this time: shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth;
when they see so mighty a monarch depressed, and brought as low as they, into the same state of meanness and contempt; as it is some kind of solace for persons in distress to have partners with them: this is a poetic expression, representing the dead as rejoicing to see others in the same condition with themselves. The Targum is,

``all the kings of the east, the governors, and those that are rich in substance, all that hold a kingdom, are comforted in the lower part of the earth.''

Ezekiel 31:16 In-Context

14 Wherefore all the trees of waters shall not be raised [up] in their highness, neither shall set their highness among places full of wood(s), and full of boughs, and all trees that be moisted of waters shall not stand in the highness of those. For all they be given into death, to the farthest land in the midst of the sons of men, to them that go down into the pit. (And so all the trees by the waters shall not be raised up in their highness, nor shall set their highness in places full of woods, and full of branches, and all the trees that be watered by these waters shall not stand in their highness. For they all be given over unto death, yea, to the farthest, or to the last, land in the midst of those, who go down into the pit.)

15 The Lord God saith these things, In the day when he went down to hells, I brought in mourning; I covered him with depth of waters, and I forbade his floods, and I refrained many waters. The Lebanon was sorry on him, and all the trees of the field were shaken of the sound of his falling. (The Lord God saith these things, On the day when it went down to Sheol, I brought in mourning; I covered it with the depths of waters, and I forbade its rivers, and I restrained the great waters. Lebanon sorrowed for it, and all the trees of the field were shaken by the sound of its falling.)

16 I moved together heathen men, when I led him down to hell, with them that went down into the pit. And all trees of liking, noble trees, and full clear in the Lebanon, all that were moisted with waters, were comforted in the lowest land. (I altogether shook the heathen, when I led it down to Sheol, with them who went down into the pit. And all the trees of Eden, noble trees, and the most beautiful in Lebanon, all that were watered with water, were comforted in the lowest land.)

17 For why also they shall go down with him to hell, to [the] slain men with sword; and the arm of each man, shall sit under the shadowing place of him, in the midst of nations. (For they shall also go down with it to Sheol, to those killed with the sword; and each person shall sit under its shadow, in the midst of the peoples.)

18 To whom art thou likened, thou noble and high among the trees of liking? Lo! thou art led down with the trees of liking to the farthest land. In the midst of uncircumcised men thou shalt sleep, with them that be slain by sword. That is Pharaoh, and all the multitude of him, saith the Lord God. (To whom art thou likened, O noble and high among the trees of Eden? Lo! thou art led down with the trees of Eden to the farthest, or to the last, land. Thou shalt sleep in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those who were killed by the sword. This is Pharaoh, and all his multitude, saith the Lord God.)