1In the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: (Eze 20:1)2“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude: “Whom are you like in your greatness? (Eze 2:1; Eze 29:19; Eze 30:4; Eze 31:18; Eze 32:12; Eze 32:16; Eze 32:19; Eze 32:20; Eze 32:31)3Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches and forest shade, and of towering height, its top among the clouds.[1] (Jud 9:15; Isa 10:33; Isa 10:34; Eze 17:23; Eze 31:15; Da 4:10; Da 4:20)4The waters nourished it; the deep made it grow tall, making its rivers flow around the place of its planting, sending forth its streams to all the trees of the field. (Eze 17:7)5So it towered high above all the trees of the field; its boughs grew large and its branches long from abundant water in its shoots. (Ps 1:3; Eze 17:5; Da 4:11)6All the birds of the heavens made their nests in its boughs; under its branches all the beasts of the field gave birth to their young, and under its shadow lived all great nations. (Eze 17:23; Da 4:12; Da 4:21)7It was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches; for its roots went down to abundant waters. (Eze 31:2; Eze 31:5)8The cedars in the garden of God could not rival it, nor the fir trees equal its boughs; neither were the plane trees like its branches; no tree in the garden of God was its equal in beauty. (Eze 28:13; Eze 31:16; Eze 31:18; Am 2:9)9I made it beautiful in the mass of its branches, and all the trees of Eden envied it, that were in the garden of God. (Isa 51:3)10“Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because it[2] towered high and set its top among the clouds,[3] and its heart was proud of its height, (Isa 10:12; Eze 31:3; Da 5:20)11I will give it into the hand of a mighty one of the nations. He shall surely deal with it as its wickedness deserves. I have cast it out.12Foreigners, the most ruthless of nations, have cut it down and left it. On the mountains and in all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its boughs have been broken in all the ravines of the land, and all the peoples of the earth have gone away from its shadow and left it. (Eze 6:3; Eze 28:7; Eze 32:5; Da 4:14)13On its fallen trunk dwell all the birds of the heavens, and on its branches are all the beasts of the field. (Eze 32:4)14All this is in order that no trees by the waters may grow to towering height or set their tops among the clouds,[4] and that no trees that drink water may reach up to them in height. For they are all given over to death, to the world below, among the children of man,[5] with those who go down to the pit. (Ps 63:9; Eze 26:20; Eze 31:5; Eze 31:16; Eze 31:18; Eze 32:18; Eze 32:24)15“Thus says the Lord God: On the day the cedar[6] went down to Sheol I caused mourning; I closed the deep over it, and restrained its rivers, and many waters were stopped. I clothed Lebanon in gloom for it, and all the trees of the field fainted because of it. (Isa 14:9; Eze 32:18; Eze 32:21)16I made the nations quake at the sound of its fall, when I cast it down to Sheol with those who go down to the pit. And all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, were comforted in the world below. (Isa 14:8; Eze 26:15; Eze 31:9; Eze 31:15; Eze 32:31)17They also went down to Sheol with it, to those who are slain by the sword; yes, those who were its arm, who lived under its shadow among the nations. (Eze 30:5; Eze 30:8; Eze 31:6; Eze 32:20; Eze 35:8)18“Whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? You shall be brought down with the trees of Eden to the world below. You shall lie among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword. “This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord God.” (Eze 28:10; Eze 31:2; Eze 31:16; Eze 31:17; Eze 32:19; Eze 32:21; Eze 32:24; Eze 32:28; Mt 11:23; Lu 10:15)
Ezekiel 31
New International Version
Pharaoh as a felled cedar of Lebanon
1In the eleventh year, in the third month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:2‘Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes: ‘ “Who can be compared with you in majesty?3Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest; it towered on high, its top above the thick foliage.4The waters nourished it, deep springs made it grow tall; their streams flowed all around its base and sent their channels to all the trees of the field.5So it towered higher than all the trees of the field; its boughs increased and its branches grew long, spreading because of abundant waters.6All the birds of the sky nested in its boughs, all the wild animals gave birth under its branches; all the great nations lived in its shade.7It was majestic in beauty, with its spreading boughs, for its roots went down to abundant waters.8The cedars in the garden of God could not rival it, nor could the junipers equal its boughs, nor could the plane trees compare with its branches – no tree in the garden of God could match its beauty.9I made it beautiful with abundant branches, the envy of all the trees of Eden in the garden of God.10‘ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: because the great cedar towered over the thick foliage, and because it was proud of its height,11I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside,12and the most ruthless of foreign nations cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys; its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it.13All the birds settled on the fallen tree, and all the wild animals lived among its branches.14Therefore no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined for death, for the earth below, among mortals who go down to the realm of the dead.15‘ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: on the day it was brought down to the realm of the dead I covered the deep springs with mourning for it; I held back its streams, and its abundant waters were restrained. Because of it I clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered away.16I made the nations tremble at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the realm of the dead to be with those who go down to the pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, the well-watered trees, were consoled in the earth below.17They too, like the great cedar, had gone down to the realm of the dead, to those killed by the sword, along with the armed men who lived in its shade among the nations.18‘ “Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendour and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword. ‘ “This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign Lord.” ’
Ezekiel 31
King James Version
1And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month , in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,2Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness?3Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs.4The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field.5Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth.6All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations.7Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters.8The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chesnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty.9I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him.10Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height;11I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness.12And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him: upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the rivers of the land; and all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him.13Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches:14To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs, neither their trees stand up in their height, all that drink water: for they are all delivered unto death, to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit.15Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.16I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth.17They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen.18To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 31
New International Reader’s Version
1It was the 11th year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the first day of the third month, a message from the LORD came to me. The LORD said,2‘Son of man, speak to Pharaoh Hophra, the king of Egypt. Also speak to his huge army. Tell him, ‘ “Who can be compared with your majesty?3Think about what happened to Assyria. Once it was like a cedar tree in Lebanon. It had beautiful branches that provided shade for the forest. It grew very high. Its top was above all the leaves.4The waters fed it. Deep springs made it grow tall. Their streams flowed all around its base. They made their way to all the trees in the fields.5So it grew higher than any other tree in the fields. It grew more limbs. Its branches grew long. They spread because they had plenty of water.6All the birds in the sky made their nests in its limbs. All the wild animals had their babies under its branches. All the great nations lived in its shade.7Its spreading branches made it majestic and beautiful. Its roots went down deep to where there was plenty of water.8The cedar trees in my garden were no match for it. The juniper trees could not equal its limbs. The plane trees could not compare with its branches. No tree in my garden could match its beauty.9I gave it many branches. They made it beautiful. All the trees in my Garden of Eden were jealous of it.” ’10So the LORD and King says, ‘The great cedar tree grew very high. Its top was above all the leaves. It was proud of how tall it was.11So I handed it over to the Babylonian ruler of the nations. I wanted him to punish it because it was so evil. I decided to get rid of it.12The Babylonians cut it down and left it there. They did not show it any pity at all. Some of its branches fell on the mountains. Others fell in all the valleys. The branches lay broken in all the stream beds in the land. All the nations on earth came out from under its shade. And they went on their way.13All the birds settled on the fallen tree. All the wild animals lived among its branches.14So trees that receive plenty of water must never grow so high that it makes them proud. Their tops must never be above the rest of the leaves. No other trees that receive a lot of water must ever grow that high. They are appointed to die and go down into the earth below. They will join human beings, who go down to the place of the dead.’15The LORD and King says, ‘Assyria was like a cedar tree. But I brought it down to the place of the dead. On that day I dried up the deep springs of water and covered them. I held its streams back. I shut off its rich supply of water. Because of that, Lebanon was dressed in gloom as if it were clothes. All the trees in the fields dried up.16I brought the cedar tree down to the place of the dead. It joined the other nations that go down there. I made the nations on earth shake because of the sound of its fall. Then all the trees of Eden were comforted in the earth below. That included the finest and best trees in Lebanon. And it included all the trees that received plenty of water.17Others also went down along with the cedar tree into the place of the dead. They included those who had been killed by swords. They also included the armed men among the nations who lived in its shade.18‘Which one of the trees of Eden can be compared with you? What tree is as glorious and majestic as you are? But you too will be brought down to the earth below. There you will join the trees of Eden. You will lie down with those who have not been circumcised. You will be among those who were killed by swords. ‘That is what will happen to Pharaoh and his huge armies,’ announces the LORD and King.