Ezekiel Chapter 31
1 In the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, the LORD's word came to me, saying,
2 "Son of man, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his multitude: 'Whom are you like in your greatness?
3 Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with beautiful branches, and with a forest-like shade, of high stature; and its top was amongst the thick boughs.
4 The waters nourished it. The deep made it to grow. Its rivers ran all around its plantation; and it sent out its channels to all the trees of the field.
5 Therefore its stature was exalted above all the trees of the field; and its boughs were multiplied. Its branches became long by reason of many waters, when it spread them out.
6 All the birds of the sky made their nests in its boughs. Under its branches, all the animals of the field gave birth to their young. All great nations lived under its shadow.
7 Thus was it beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches; for its root was by many waters.
8 The cedars in the garden of God could not hide it. The cypress trees were not like its boughs. The pine trees were not as its branches; nor was any tree in the garden of God like it in its beauty.
9 I made it beautiful by the multitude of its branches, so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied it.'
10 "Therefore thus said the Lord GOD: 'Because you are exalted in stature, and he has set his top amongst the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height;
11 I will even deliver him into the hand of the mighty one of the nations. He will surely deal with him. I have driven him out for his wickedness.
12 Strangers, the tyrants of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him. His branches have fallen on the mountains and in all the valleys and his boughs are broken by all the watercourses of the land. All the peoples of the earth have gone down from his shadow, and have left him.
13 All the birds of the sky will dwell on his ruin, and all the animals of the field will be on his branches;
14 to the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves in their stature, and don't set their top amongst the thick boughs. Their mighty ones don't stand up on their height, even all who drink water; for they are all delivered to death, to the lower parts of the earth, amongst the children of men, with those who go down to the pit.'
15 "The Lord GOD says: 'In the day when he went down to Sheol I caused a mourning. I covered the deep for him, and I restrained its rivers. The great waters were stopped. I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.
16 I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to Sheol with those who descend into the pit. All the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, were comforted in the lower parts of the earth.
17 They also went down into Sheol with him to those who are slain by the sword; yes, those who were his arm, who lived under his shadow in the middle of the nations.
18 " 'To whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness amongst the trees of Eden? Yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth. You will lie in the middle of the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword. " 'This is Pharaoh and all his multitude,' says the Lord GOD."
Footnotes
- Verse 15 (Sheol)
- Sheol is the place of the dead.
- Verse 16 (Sheol)
- Sheol is the place of the dead.
Version: World English Bible
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Ezekiel Chapter 31 Guide
The fifth prophecy was directed against the greatness of Pharaoh. Ezekiel was commanded to address himself to Pharaoh and his multitudes. This he did, first by describing his greatness. He fist asked, "Whom art thou like in thy greatness?" To this inquiry he replied by describing the greatness of the Assyrian, the intention evidently being that Pharaoh should apply that description to himself. The greatness of Assyria was set forth under the figure of a stately tree in Lebanon, overtopping all the rest, nourished by the waters that ran about its roots, so great that all the fowls took refuge in its branches and the beasts of the earth beneath its shadow, so fair that all the trees of Eden envied him.
The prophet then foretold the destruction of this greatness, first by the same figure, and then by a graphic and awful picture of the descent of Pharaoh into Sheol. The fallen tree, with its broken branches lying by all the water courses, so that the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the ruin and the beasts lay down on the branches, set forth the earthly side of the destruction of Egypt. So great had the power of Egypt been that when Pharaoh and his hosts descended to the underworld all nature was moved. The waters were stayed, and Lebanon mourned, while yet the trees of Eden were comforted. The direct application of these figures to Pharaoh closed the fifth prophecy.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Ezekiel Chapter 31 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- The glory of Assyria. -- (1-9)
- Its fall, and the like for Egypt. -- (10-18)
Verses 1-9
The falls of others, both into sin and ruin, warn us not to be secure or high-minded. The prophet is to show an instance of one whom the king of Egypt resembled in greatness, the Assyrian, compared to a stately cedar. Those who excel others, make themselves the objects of envy; but the blessings of the heavenly paradise are not liable to such alloy. The utmost security that any creature can give, is but like the shadow of a tree, a scanty and slender protection. But let us flee to God for protection, there we shall be safe. His hand must be owned in the rising of the great men of the earth, and we must not envy them. Though worldly people may seem to have firm prosperity, yet it only seems so.
Verses 10-18
The king of Egypt resembled the king of Assyria in his greatness: here we see he resembles him in his pride. And he shall resemble him in his fall. His own sin brings his ruin. None of our comforts are ever lost, but what have been a thousand times forfeited. When great men fall, many fall with them, as many have fallen before them. The fall of proud men is for warning to others, to keep them humble. See how low Pharaoh lies; and see what all his pomp and pride are come to. It is best to be a lowly tree of righteousness, yielding fruit to the glory of God, and to the good of men. The wicked man is often seen flourishing like the cedar, and spreading like the green bay tree, but he soon passes away, and his place is no more found. Let us then mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.