Ezekiel 31:6

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.)

Ezekiel 31:6 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 31:6

All the fowls of the heavens made their nests in his boughs,
&c.] People from all parts of the world, under the whole heavens, flocked to his dominions, and settled themselves in one province or another; promising themselves protection, prosperity, and peace under his government: and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth
their young;
even people of a more savage disposition, being either conquered by him, and placed in his provinces; or coming thither of their own accord, took up their residence there, built houses, planted vineyards, married wives, begat children, and settled their families there: and under his shadow dwelt all great nations;
under his protection, care, and government, many large kingdoms and states were; yea, all were either subject to him, or sought to be his friends and allies: this explains the above figurative expressions. The Targum is,

``by his army he subdued all the strong towers; and under his governors he subjected all the provinces of the earth; and in the shadow of his kingdom dwelt all the numerous people.''

Ezekiel 31:6 In-Context

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.)

8 Cedars in the paradise of God were not higher than he; fir trees attained not evenly to the highness of him, and plane trees were not even with the boughs of him. Each tree of (the) paradise of God was not made like him in his fairness. (The cedars in the Garden of God were not higher than it was; the fir trees attained not equal to its highness, and the plane trees were not equal in height with its branches. Every tree of the Garden of God was not made like it, or was not equal to it, in its beauty.)