Ezekiel 31

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 31

The prophecy of this chapter, as the two chapters before, is against Egypt, and designed for the humbling and mortifying of Pharaoh. In passing sentence upon great criminals it is usual to consult precedents, and to see what has been done to others in the like case, which serves both to direct and to justify the proceedings. Pharaoh stands indicted at the bar of divine justice for his pride and haughtiness, and the injuries he had done to God's people; but he thinks himself so high, so great,... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 31:1-9

This prophecy bears date the month before Jerusalem was taken, as that in the close of the foregoing chapter about four months before. When God's people were in the depth of their distress, it would be some comfort to them, as it would serve likewise for a check to the pride and malice of their neighbours, that insulted over them, to be told from heaven that the cup was going round, even the cup of trembling, that it would shortly be taken out of the hands of God's people and put into the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 31:10-18

We have seen the king of Egypt resembling the king of Assyria in pomp, and power, and prosperity, how like he was to him in his greatness; now here we see, I. How he does likewise resemble him in his pride, Ezek. 31:10. For, as face answers to face in a glass, so does one corrupt carnal heart to another; and the same temptations of a prosperous state by which some are overcome are fatal to many others too. ?Thou, O king of Egypt! hast lifted up thyself in height, hast been proud of thy wealth... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 31

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 31 This chapter contains a confirmation of the preceding prophecy, of the ruin of the king of Egypt, by the example of the king of Assyria, to whom he was like in grandeur and pride, and would be in his fall. The time of the prophecy is observed, Ezekiel 31:1 , the prophet is ordered to give the following relation to the king of Egypt, Ezekiel 31:2 in which the king of Assyria is compared to a large and flourishing cedar, for the extent of his dominions, the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 31:1

And it came to pass in the eleventh year ,.... Of Zedekiah's reign, and Jeconiah's captivity: in the third month, in the first day of the month : the month Sivan, which began on the twentieth of our May, and answers to part of May, and part of June; this was about seven weeks after the former prophecy, and about five weeks before the destruction of Jerusalem; according to Bishop Usher F14 Annales Vet. Test. A. M. 3416. , this was on the nineteenth of June, on the first day of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 31:2

Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt ,.... To Pharaohhophra, the then reigning king; not to him personally by word of mouth, for the prophet was now in Chaldea; but by delivering out a prophecy concerning him, and which he might have an opportunity of sending to him: and to his multitude ; the multitude of his subjects, of which he boasted, and in whom he trusted: whom art thou like in thy greatness ? look over all the records of time, and into all the empires, kingdoms, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 31:3

Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon ,.... Here grew the tallest, most stately, broad and flourishing ones. This sense is, that he was as one of them; comparable to one, for his exaltation and dignity; for the largeness of his dominion, the flourishing circumstances of it, and its long duration; that empire having lasted from the times of Nimrod unto a few years of the present time; for this is to be understood, either of the monarchy itself, or of Esarhaddon; or rather of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 31:4

The waters made him great ,.... The waters of the river Tigris, near to which stood the city of Nineveh, the metropolis of the Assyrian monarchy; the traffic brought by which river made it rich and great, and the whole empire, and the king of it: the deep set him up on high, with her rivers running round about his plants ; the vast trade by sea, the profits and commodities of which were conveyed through various rivers, which ran about the provinces of the empire, which were as plants in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 31:6

All the fowls of the heavens made their nests in his boughs ,.... 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... read more

Group of Brands