Ezekiel 31:5

5 Therefore his highness was enhanced over all [the] trees of the country, and his trees were multiplied, and his branches were raised [up], for many waters. And when he had stretched forth his shadow, (And so its highness was lifted up over all the trees of the country, and its boughs were multiplied, and its branches were raised up, because of the abundant waters. And when it had stretched forth its shadow,)

Ezekiel 31:5 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 31:5

Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the
field
His majesty, grandeur, and glory, were advanced above all princes, nobles, and people; all ranks and degrees of men, let them be compared to trees taller or lower: and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long;
the provinces of his empire became more numerous, and were spread far and near, and reached to distant countries: because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth;
either the vast number of people, which were daily increasing, and were sent out to people distant colonies, newly subdued or planted; or because of the great traffic which was carried on in different parts, and the advantages arising from it. The Targum is,

``therefore he was lifted up in his strength above all the kings of the earth, and his army was multiplied, and his auxiliaries prevailed over many people, through his victories''

Ezekiel 31:5 In-Context

3 Lo! Assur as a cedar in Lebanon, fair in branches, and full of boughs, and high by highness; and his height was raised [up] among thick boughs. (Lo! Assyria was like a cedar in Lebanon, that was beautiful in branches, and full of boughs, and high by highness; and its height was raised up among the thick boughs.)

4 Waters nourished him, the depth of waters enhanced him; his floods floated out in the compass of his roots, and he sent out his strands to all the trees of the country. (Waters nourished it, the waters from the depths raised it up, or made it grow; its rivers flowed out all around its roots, and it sent out its streams to all the trees in the country.)

5 Therefore his highness was enhanced over all [the] trees of the country, and his trees were multiplied, and his branches were raised [up], for many waters. And when he had stretched forth his shadow, (And so its highness was lifted up over all the trees of the country, and its boughs were multiplied, and its branches were raised up, because of the abundant waters. And when it had stretched forth its shadow,)

6 all the volatiles of the air made nests in his branches; and all the beasts of forests engendered under his boughs, and the company of full many folks dwelled under the shadowing place of him. (all the birds of the air made nests in its branches; and all the beasts of the forests begat under its boughs, and a great many nations lived under its shadow.)

7 And he was full fair in his greatness, and in alarging of his trees; for the root of him was beside many waters. (And it was very beautiful in its greatness, and in the enlarging of its branches; for its roots were beside many waters.)