Ezekiel 32:2

2. R.V., “Thou wast likened unto a young lion… yet art thou as a dragon.” Pharaoh had thought himself to be the king of beasts, able to roam for prey in far-off countries; but he was in reality only a crocodile, confined to his own Nile stream. This was peculiarly cutting, since the Pharaoh loved to call himself “ruler of all lands,” and yet often in his inscriptions likened himself to a crocodile. (See also note Ezekiel 29:3.)

Camest forth with thy rivers R.V., “breakest forth.” The Hebrew can almost mean didst spurt out [spray] with thy nostrils (Job 41:19-20). In either case the expression refers to the vain struggles of the monster, which can indeed foul his own stream, but which cannot harm those who are upon the shore.