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Ezekiel 31

Ezekiel 31:10

Egypt Will Fall like Assyria · Ezekiel 31:1–18
Read Ezekiel 31

Translations

Modern
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Since it became great in height and set its top among the clouds, and it grew proud on account of its height,
Traditional
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;
Literal
Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Because that you became great in height, and it set its top to among the thick boughs, and was lifted up its heart in its height,
Latin
Propterea hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Pro eo quod sublimatus est in altitudine, et dedit summitatem suam virentem atque condensam, et elevatum est cor ejus in altitudine sua:

Original

Hebrew
English
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Since it became great in height and set its top among the clouds, and it grew proud on account of its height,

Notes

Ezekiel 31:10–11

  • Egypt forgot that God created her beauty, and she became proud and arrogant. Like Tyre, such pride would lead to a fall. The God who placed Egypt in a high position would send a powerful nation to destroy it, as its wickedness deserved.

  • I have banished it: The human agent would only be carrying out what God had already decided.

Ezekiel 31:1–18

Ezekiel asked the Egyptians to compare themselves to Assyria, which was like a great tree in Eden (Ezekiel 31:9). If that tree was cut down and sent to the underworld, how could Egypt, whose glory was less than Assyria's, believe it could survive?

Ezekiel 29:1–32:32

  • The seventh and final message of judgment against the nations targets Egypt, an old enemy and ally of Israel. This message is the longest and, like the one against Tyre, it addresses both Egypt and its ruler.

  • Egypt often tempted Israel and Judah to turn away from their loyalty to the Lord. Soon after leaving Egypt, Israel fell into the trap of Egypt's idolatry. Egypt led Judah to rely on chariots and horses instead of the Lord, but Egypt was unreliable when it mattered most. The Lord judged Egypt for leading his people astray (compare Luke 17:1–2).

Ezekiel 25:1–32:32

  • This section contains a series of messages of judgment against nearby nations. There are six shorter messages against Judah's immediate neighbors, arranged in a clockwise order, followed by a final message against Egypt (Ezekiel 30–32). Through experiencing God's judgment, the nations would recognize God's control over everything. The nations might be used to carry out God's judgment on his people, but they would not avoid judgment themselves.

  • One of the main purposes of these messages was to show that the negative part of God's promise to Abraham ("I will … curse those who curse you," Genesis 12:3) was still active. No one can harm God's people and avoid consequences, even when God's people are under his judgment.

Theme notes and profiles

Messages Against the Nations

Events

People

LORD: Names or title used to refer to God

Glossary

Book of Jeremiah Cedar Ezekiel, Book of Hophra Lord Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar

Topics

Ambition: Punishment of Assyria: The Greatness, Extent, Duration, and Fall, Illustrated Pride: Assyria Pride: General Scriptures Concerning Self-Exaltation: General Scriptures Concerning Trees of Kings