Major Prophets · Chapter 31 of 48

Ezekiel 31

God warns Pharaoh by the parable of a great cedar. Assyria was once a towering cedar in Lebanon, taller than all trees, its boughs sheltering birds and beasts, the envy of Eden. But because its heart grew proud in its height, God delivered it to be cut down by the mightiest of nations. It fell to the underworld, and the nations trembled. Pharaoh, God says, will share the same fate.

What happens in Ezekiel 31

In the eleventh year God asks Pharaoh a probing question: whom are you like in your greatness? He answers with a parable of Assyria as a magnificent cedar of Lebanon, watered by the deep, towering above all the trees of the field, its top among the clouds. Birds nested in its boughs, beasts bred beneath its branches, and great nations dwelt in its shade. No tree in the garden of God could rival its beauty, so that all the trees of Eden envied it.

But because its heart was lifted up in pride at its height, God handed it over to the mightiest ruler of the nations, who cut it down. Its branches fell on the mountains, the peoples abandoned its shade, and it descended to the underworld, where the trees of Eden were comforted at its fall. Pharaoh, God warns, will likewise be brought down among the uncircumcised.

Ezekiel 31 in context

Another Egypt oracle, using an extended tree allegory. God holds up Assyria, the superpower recently fallen to Babylon (Nineveh fell in 612 BC), as a cautionary example for Egypt. The towering cosmic tree was a common ancient image of imperial greatness reaching to heaven and sheltering many peoples.

The garden of God and Eden references heighten the theme of created glory ruined by pride, echoing chapter 28. The descent to Sheol, the underworld of the dead, prepares for the funeral dirge of chapter 32.

Main themes of Ezekiel 31

Ezekiel 31 (KJV)

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 chestnut 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.

Verses to carry from Ezekiel 31

“Behold, 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.”Ezekiel 31:3

“Therefore 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;”Ezekiel 31:10

“To 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 31:18

Reflection

Greatness is not the problem in this chapter; pride at the top is. When we rise, we are tempted to admire our own height and forget the God who watered our roots. Where has success quietly lifted up your heart? Remember the mighty cedar in the pit, and choose the humble path of Christ, who was exalted by first bending low.

A prayer from Ezekiel 31