Ezekiel 31:4-18

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 31:4

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 31:7

Thus was he fair in his greatness ,.... Amiable, lovely, delightful to look upon in the greatness of his majesty, in his royal glory and dignity: in the length of his branches ; in the extent of his empire, and the provinces of it: for his root was by great waters ; his kingdom was well established, firmly rooted among a multitude of people; from whom he had a large revenue to support his throne and government, and the dignity of it; by tribute, taxes, customs, and presents; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 31:8

The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him ,.... That is, could not rise so high as this cedar, and overtop him, and obscure his glory; even those that were most excellent, which grew in Eden, near to which Babylon stood, and where a mighty king dwelt. The sense is, that the greatest kings and potentates in the whole world, which is like a garden planted by the Lord, were not equal to the king of Assyria, and much less exceeded him in grandeur, wealth, and power: the fir trees... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 31:9

I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches ,.... Or provinces, the extensiveness of his dominions: all his power and strength, riches and wealth, grandeur and glory, and the vast dominions he was possessed of, were all from the Lord; as whatever kings have are, though they are too apt to ascribe it to themselves; but all are from him, by whom kings reign: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him ; all the kings of the earth, though they dared... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 31:10

Therefore thus saith the Lord God ,.... Having described the greatness of the Assyrian monarch; now follows the account of his fall, and the cause of it, pride: because thou hast lifted up thyself in height ; this is either an address to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who, though he did not rise up so high as the Assyrian monarch in glory and grandeur; yet he lifted up himself, and thought himself superior to any; which reason he must be brought down: or the words are directed to the Assyrian... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 31:11

I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the Heathen ,.... Or, into the hand of the mightiest of the nations F15 ביד אל גויים "in manum fortissimi gentium", Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius, Polanus; "potentissimi", Piscator. ; the mightiest prince among them. Some understand this of Arbaces the Mede, by whom Sardanapalus had been defeated long before this time: others of Merodachbaladan king Babylon, by whom Esarhaddon the Assyrian monarch was... read more

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