Albert Barnes Commentary Ezekiel 31
Albert Barnes Commentary
Ezekiel 31
Albert Barnes Commentary
Ezekiel 31
"And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third [month], in the first [day] of the month, that the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying," — Ezekiel 31:1 (ASV)
In the third month - More than a month before Jerusalem was taken .
"Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a forest-like shade, and of high stature; and its top was among the thick boughs. The waters nourished it, the deep made it to grow: the rivers thereof ran round about its plantation; and it sent out its channels unto all the trees of the field. Therefore its stature was exalted above all the trees of the field; and its boughs were multiplied, and its branches became long by reason of many waters, when it shot [them] forth. All the birds of the heavens made their nests in its boughs; and under its branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young; and under its shadow dwelt all great nations. Thus was it fair in its greatness, in the length of its branches; for its root was by many waters. The cedars in the garden of God could not hide it; the fir-trees were not like its boughs, and the plane-trees were not as its branches; nor was any tree in the garden of God like unto it in its beauty. I made it fair by the multitude of its branches, so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied it." — Ezekiel 31:3-9 (ASV)
Fifth prophecy against Egypt: a warning to Pharaoh from the fate of the Assyrians.
The Assyrian empire, after being supreme in Asia for four centuries, was overthrown by the united forces of the Babylonians and Medes in 605 BC, the year of the battle of Carchemish, which had broken the power of Egypt.
This gives force to the warning to Egypt from Assyria’s fall.
(Ezekiel 31:4) His plants – Rather, her plantation. The water represents the riches and might which flowed into Assyria.
(Ezekiel 31:5) When he shot forth – Or, when the deep water sent forth its streams.
(Ezekiel 31:8) Garden of God – Paradise.
"Therefore thus said the Lord Jehovah: Because thou art exalted in stature, and he hath set his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height; I will even deliver him into the hand of the mighty one of the nations; he shall surely deal with him; I have driven him out for his wickedness. And 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 watercourses of the land; and all the peoples of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him. Upon his ruin all the birds of the heavens shall dwell, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches; to the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves in their stature, neither set their top among the thick boughs, nor that their mighty ones stand up on their height, [even] 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." — Ezekiel 31:10-14 (ASV)
Assyria’s fall (Ezekiel 31:11).
More accurately: Therefore I will deliver him, etc. ... he shall surely deal with him. I have driven him out, etc.
In Ezekiel 31:14, Their trees - Rather, as in the margin, standing unto themselves, meaning standing in their own strength. The clause will then read thus: Neither all that drink water stand up in their own strength. All that drink water means mighty princes to whom wealth and prosperity flow. The Egyptians owed everything to the waters of the Nile. The substance is that Assyria’s fall was decreed so that the mighty ones of the earth might learn not to exalt themselves in pride or to rely on themselves, since they must share the common lot of mortality.
"Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: In the day when he went down to Sheol I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the rivers 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. I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to Sheol with them that descend into the pit; and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, were comforted in the nether parts of the earth. They also went down into Sheol with him unto them that are slain by the sword; yea, they that were his arm, [that] dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the nations." — Ezekiel 31:15-17 (ASV)
Effect of Assyria’s fall.
I covered the deep - To cover with sackcloth was an expression of mourning (Ezekiel 27:31). The deep, the source of Assyria’s prosperity (Ezekiel 31:4), was made to mourn, being dried up instead of yielding its waters, its glad abundance (Ezekiel 31:15).
For him - On his account.
Floods ... great waters - Or, rivers ... the multitude of waters .
Lebanon represents the country that Assyria governed; “the trees,” the tributary princes (Ezekiel 31:16).
See the marginal references (Ezekiel 31:16).
His arm ... - The subject princes who were his strength and support in war (Ezekiel 31:17).
"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 are slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord Jehovah." — Ezekiel 31:18 (ASV)
Application to Pharaoh.
The uncircumcised — The Egyptians, at least their nobles, were circumcised. Pharaoh should thus be dishonored with those whom the Egyptians themselves deemed unclean.
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