Ezekiel 31:18

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.)

Ezekiel 31:18 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 31:18

To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the
trees of Eden?
&c.] Among all the kings and potentates of the earth; pitch on whom you will, say which of them all, even the greatest of them for majesty and glory, for wealth and riches, power and authority, and extent of dominion, you are equal to; name the king of Assyria, if you please, before described, though you are not equal to him; and if you were, this would not secure you from ruin; since, as great as he was, he fell, and so will you: this is said to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and is an application of the preceding parable to him; suggesting, that let him be as high as any ever was, or he could imagine himself to be: yet shall thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether
parts of the earth;
the grave, and lie in the same depressed and humble state as the greatest monarchs that ever were on earth do: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised;
the wicked, as the Targum; the uncircumcised in heart; who belong not to God, or his people, and have no communion with either, but are shut out of the kingdom of heaven, and have their portion with devils and damned spirits: with them that be slain by the sword;
in a way of judgment for their sins: this is Pharaoh, and all his multitude, saith the Lord God;
this account represents Pharaoh, his grandeur, his pride, and his ruin; this shows what will be the end of him, and of his numerous subjects. The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, "so will be Pharaoh" in like manner will he fall, and all his people with him; for the Lord God has said it, and it shall assuredly come to pass. The Targum is,

``to whom art thou like now in glory and greatness among the kings of the east? and thou shall be brought down with the kings of the east into the lower part of the earth; in the midst of sinners thou shalt sleep, with those that are slain by the sword; this is Pharaoh, and all his multitude, saith the Lord God.''

Ezekiel 31:18 In-Context

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.)