Ezekielchapter 31

A.Assyria, the cedar no tree in Eden could matchvv. 1-9

1 In the eleventh year, on the first day of the third month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude: ‘Who can be compared to your greatness? 3 Look at Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches that shaded the forest. It towered on high; its top was among the clouds. 4 The waters made it grow; the deep springs made it tall, directing their streams all around its base and sending their channels to all the trees of the field. 5 Therefore it towered higher than all the trees of the field. Its branches multiplied, and its boughs grew long as it spread them out because of the abundant waters. 6 All the birds of the air nested in its branches, and all the beasts of the field gave birth beneath its boughs; all the great nations lived in its shade. 7 It was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its limbs, for its roots extended to abundant waters. 8 The cedars in the garden of God could not rival it; the cypresses could not compare with its branches, nor the plane trees match its boughs. No tree in the garden of God could compare with its beauty. 9 I made it beautiful with its many branches, the envy of all the trees of Eden, which were in the garden of God.’

B.Cut down by the mighty one of the nationsvv. 10-14

10 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Since it became great in height and set its top among the clouds, and it grew proud on account of its height, 11 I delivered it into the hand of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with it according to its wickedness. I have banished it. 12 Foreigners, the most ruthless of the nations, cut it down and left it. Its branches have fallen on the mountains and in every valley; its boughs lay broken in all the earth’s ravines. And all the peoples of the earth left its shade and abandoned it. 13 All the birds of the air nested on its fallen trunk, and all the beasts of the field lived among its boughs. 14 This happened so that no other trees by the waters would become great in height and set their tops among the clouds, and no other well-watered trees would reach them in height. For they have all been consigned to death, to the depths of the earth, among the mortals who descend to the Pit.’

C.The pit mourns as the great tree comes downvv. 15-18

15 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘On the day it was brought down to Sheol, I caused mourning. I covered the deep because of it; I held back its rivers; its abundant waters were restrained. I made Lebanon mourn for it, and all the trees of the field fainted because of it. 16 I made the nations quake at the sound of its downfall, when I cast it down to Sheol with those who descend to the Pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, all the well-watered trees, were consoled in the earth below. 17 They too descended with it to Sheol, to those slain by the sword. As its allies they had lived in its shade among the nations. 18 Who then is like you in glory and greatness among the trees of Eden? You also will be brought down to the depths of the earth to be with the trees of Eden. You will lie among the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord GOD.’”

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Chapter summary

A tree taller than empire.

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A tree taller than empire. Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches and a shadowing shroud, exalted by the deep waters that nourished it; the birds of the heavens nested in its boughs, the beasts brought forth under it, and great nations dwelt in its shade, so that the trees of Eden envied it. But because it lifted itself up in stature and set its top among the thick boughs, it was delivered to the mighty one of the nations, cut down and left on the mountains for the beasts. The nations shake at the sound of its fall, and it goes down to Sheol. 'This is Pharaoh and all his multitude.'

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

Prophecy · Ezekiel — Ezekiel overview

A. 1–9 Assyria, the cedar no tree in Eden could match
B. 10–14 Cut down by the mighty one of the nations
C. 15–18 The pit mourns as the great tree comes down

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Ezekiel 284 verses
- Ezekiel 28:7behold, I will bring foreigners against you, the most ruthless of nations. They will draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and will defile your splendor.
- Ezekiel 28:10You will die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners. For I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD.”
- Ezekiel 28:13You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald. Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold, prepared on the day of your creation.
- Ezekiel 28:17Your heart grew proud of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor; so I cast you to the earth; I made you a spectacle before kings.
- Read Ezekiel 28 →
Daniel 44 verses
- Daniel 4:10In these visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this come to pass: There was a tree in the midst of the land, and its height was great.
- Daniel 4:11The tree grew large and strong; its top reached the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth.
- Daniel 4:12Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and upon it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, in its branches the birds of the air nested, and from it every creature was fed.
- Daniel 4:20The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth,
- Read Daniel 4 →
Ezekiel 173 verses
- Ezekiel 17:5He took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil; he placed it by abundant waters and set it out like a willow.
- Ezekiel 17:8It had been planted in good soil by abundant waters in order to yield branches and bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’
- Ezekiel 17:23I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israel so that it will bear branches; it will yield fruit and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind will nest under it, taking shelter in the shade of its branches.
- Read Ezekiel 17 →
Ezekiel 303 verses
- Ezekiel 30:10This is what the Lord GOD says: I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
- Ezekiel 30:11He and his people with him, the most ruthless of the nations, will be brought in to destroy the land. They will draw their swords against Egypt and fill the land with the slain.
- Ezekiel 30:20In the eleventh year, on the seventh day of the first month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
- Read Ezekiel 30 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Ezekiel 313 verses
- Ezekiel 31:3Look at Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches that shaded the forest. It towered on high; its top was among the clouds.
- Ezekiel 31:6All the birds of the air nested in its branches, and all the beasts of the field gave birth beneath its boughs; all the great nations lived in its shade.
- Ezekiel 31:18Who then is like you in glory and greatness among the trees of Eden? You also will be brought down to the depths of the earth to be with the trees of Eden. You will lie among the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord GOD.’”
- Read Ezekiel 31 →
Ezekiel 323 verses
- Ezekiel 32:4I will abandon you on the land and hurl you into the open field. I will cause all the birds of the air to settle upon you, and all the beasts of the earth to eat their fill of you.
- Ezekiel 32:19Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be placed with the uncircumcised!
- Ezekiel 32:21Mighty chiefs will speak from the midst of Sheol about Egypt and her allies: ‘They have come down and lie with the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword.’
- Read Ezekiel 32 →
Ezekiel 292 verses
- Ezekiel 29:5I will leave you in the desert, you and all the fish of your streams. You will fall on the open field and will not be taken away or gathered for burial. I have given you as food to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the air.
- Ezekiel 29:19Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will carry off its wealth, seize its spoil, and remove its plunder. This will be the wages for his army.
- Read Ezekiel 29 →
Daniel 52 verses
- Daniel 5:18As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.
- Daniel 5:20But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.
- Read Daniel 5 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.