Ezekiel 31
Expanded Bible
A Cedar Tree
31 It was in the eleventh year [C since King Jehoiachin’s exile (1:2)], in the third month, on the first day of the month [C June 21, 587 bc]. The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 2 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], say to the king of Egypt and his people:
‘·No one [L Who…?] is like you in your greatness.
3 [L Look; T Behold] Assyria was once like a cedar tree in Lebanon
with beautiful branches that shaded the forest.
It was ·very tall [a towering height];
its top was among the clouds.
4 Much water made the tree grow;
the deep springs made it tall.
Rivers flowed
around ·the bottom of the tree [its place of planting]
and sent their ·streams [channels]
to all other trees ·in the countryside [of the field].
5 So the tree was taller
than all the other trees ·in the countryside [of the field].
Its ·limbs [boughs] became large and its branches long
because of ·so much [abundant] water.
6 All the birds of the ·sky [heavens]
made their nests in the tree’s ·limbs [boughs; Dan. 4:12, 21].
And all the ·wild animals [beasts of the field]
gave birth under its branches.
All great nations
lived in the tree’s shade.
7 So the tree was great and beautiful,
with its long branches,
because its roots reached down to ·much [abundant] water.
8 The cedar trees in the garden of God [C Eden]
were not as great as it was.
The ·pine [fir; juniper] trees
·did not have such great [could not equal its] ·limbs [boughs].
The plane trees
did not have such branches.
No tree in the garden of God
was as beautiful as this tree.
9 I made it beautiful
with many branches,
and all the trees of Eden in the garden of God
·wanted to be like [envied] it.
10 “‘So this is what the Lord God says: The tree grew tall. Its top reached the clouds, and it became proud of its height. 11 So I handed it ·over to [L into the hand of] a mighty ruler of the nations for him to ·punish [deal with] it. Because it was ·evil [wicked], I ·got rid of it [threw it out; cast it aside]. 12 The ·cruelest [most ruthless] foreign nation cut it down and left it. The tree’s branches fell on the mountains and in all the valleys, and its ·broken limbs [boughs] were in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth left the shade of that tree. 13 The birds of the ·sky [heavens] live on the fallen tree. The wild animals live among the tree’s fallen branches. 14 So the trees that grow by the water will not ·be proud to be [or grow so] tall; they will not put their tops among the clouds. None of the trees that are watered well will grow that tall, because they all are ·meant [appointed; consigned] to die and go ·under the ground [or to the underworld; to the depths of the earth]. They will be with ·people who have died [mortals; L sons of men] and ·have gone down [those who descend] to the ·place of the dead [L pit].
15 “‘This is what the Lord God says: On the day ·when the tree [L it; C Assyria] went down to ·the place of the dead [L Sheol], I ·made the deep springs cry loudly [or caused mourning]. I ·covered them [or closed the deep over it] and held back their rivers, and the great waters ·stopped flowing [were restrained]. I dressed Lebanon ·in black [or with gloom; C in mourning for the great tree], and all the trees in the countryside ·were sad about it [wilted; fainted]. 16 I made the nations ·shake with fear [tremble; quake] at the sound of the tree falling when I brought it down to ·the place of the dead [Sheol]. It went to join those who ·have gone down [descend] to the ·grave [pit; C the trees represent other great nations that have fallen]. Then all the trees of Eden and the best and ·most beautiful [choicest] trees of Lebanon, all the well-watered trees, were comforted in the ·place of the dead below the earth [underworld; world below]. 17 These trees had also gone down with the great tree to ·the place of the dead [L Sheol]. They joined those who were killed ·in war [L by the sword] and those among the nations who had lived under the great tree’s shade.
18 “‘·So no tree [L Which of the trees…?] in Eden is equal to you [C Egypt], in ·greatness [glory; splendor] and ·honor [greatness; majesty], but you will go down to join the trees of Eden in the ·place below the earth [underworld]. You will lie among ·unclean people [L the uncircumcised], with those who were killed ·in war [L by the sword].
“‘This is about Pharaoh and all his ·people [hordes; armies], says the Lord God.’”
Ezekiel 31
New King James Version
Egypt Cut Down Like a Great Tree(A)
31 Now it came to pass in the (B)eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude:
(C)‘Whom are you like in your greatness?
3 (D)Indeed Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon,
With fine branches that shaded the forest,
And of high stature;
And its top was among the thick boughs.
4 (E)The waters made it grow;
Underground waters gave it height,
With their rivers running around the place where it was planted,
And sent out [a]rivulets to all the trees of the field.
5 ‘Therefore (F)its height was exalted above all the trees of the field;
Its boughs were multiplied,
And its branches became long because of the abundance of water,
As it sent them out.
6 All the (G)birds of the heavens made their nests in its boughs;
Under its branches all the beasts of the field brought forth their young;
And in its shadow all great nations [b]made their home.
7 ‘Thus it was beautiful in greatness and in the length of its branches,
Because its roots reached to abundant waters.
8 The cedars in the (H)garden of God could not hide it;
The fir trees were not like its boughs,
And the [c]chestnut trees were not like its branches;
No tree in the garden of God was like it in beauty.
9 I made it beautiful with a multitude of branches,
So that all the trees of Eden envied it,
That were in the garden of God.’
10 “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have increased in height, and it set its top among the thick boughs, and (I)its heart was [d]lifted up in its height, 11 therefore I will deliver it into the hand of the (J)mighty one of the nations, and he shall surely deal with it; I have driven it out for its wickedness. 12 And aliens, (K)the most terrible of the nations, have cut it down and left it; its branches have fallen (L)on the mountains and in all the valleys; its boughs lie (M)broken by all the rivers of the land; and all the peoples of the earth have gone from under its shadow and left it.
13 ‘On (N)its ruin will remain all the birds of the heavens,
And all the beasts of the field will come to its branches—
14 So that no trees by the waters may ever again exalt themselves for their height, nor set their tops among the thick boughs, that no tree which drinks water may ever be high enough to reach up to them.
‘For (O)they have all been delivered to death,
(P)To the depths of the earth,
Among the children of men who go down to the Pit.’
15 “Thus says the Lord God: ‘In the day when it (Q)went down to [e]hell, I caused mourning. I covered the deep because of it. I restrained its rivers, and the great waters were held back. I caused Lebanon to [f]mourn for it, and all the trees of the field wilted because of it. 16 I made the nations (R)shake at the sound of its fall, when I (S)cast it down to [g]hell together with those who descend into the Pit; and (T)all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, (U)were comforted in the depths of the earth. 17 They also went down to hell with it, with those slain by the sword; and those who were its strong arm (V)dwelt in its shadows among the nations.
18 (W)‘To which of the trees in Eden will you then be likened in glory and greatness? Yet you shall be brought down with the trees of Eden to the depths of the earth; (X)you shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude,’ says the Lord God.”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 31:4 Or channels
- Ezekiel 31:6 Lit. dwelled
- Ezekiel 31:8 Or plane, Heb. armon
- Ezekiel 31:10 Proud
- Ezekiel 31:15 Or Sheol
- Ezekiel 31:15 Lit. be darkened
- Ezekiel 31:16 Or Sheol
Ezekiel 31
English Standard Version
Pharaoh to Be Slain
31 (A)In the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 2 (B)“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to (C)his multitude:
(D)“Whom are you like in your greatness?
3 Behold, (E)Assyria was a (F)cedar in (G)Lebanon,
with beautiful branches and (H)forest shade,
(I)and of towering height,
its top among the clouds.[a]
4 The waters nourished it;
the deep made it grow tall,
making (J)its rivers flow
around the place of its planting,
sending forth its streams
to all the trees of the field.
5 So (K)it towered high
above all the trees of the field;
its boughs grew large
and its branches long
from (L)abundant water in its shoots.
6 (M)All 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.
7 It was (N)beautiful in its greatness,
in the length of its branches;
(O)for its roots went down
to abundant waters.
8 (P)The cedars (Q)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 (R)in the garden of God
was its equal in beauty.
9 I made it beautiful
in the mass of its branches,
and all the trees of (S)Eden envied it,
that were in the garden of God.
10 “Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because (T)it[b] towered high and set its top among the clouds,[c] and (U)its heart was proud of its height, 11 I 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. 12 (V)Foreigners, (W)the most ruthless of nations, have cut it down and left it. (X)On the mountains and in all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its boughs have been broken in all (Y)the ravines of the land, and (Z)all the peoples of the earth have gone away from its shadow and left it. 13 (AA)On its fallen trunk dwell all the birds of the heavens, and on its branches are all the beasts of the field. 14 (AB)All this is in order that no trees by the waters may grow to towering height or set their tops among the clouds,[d] and that no trees that drink water may reach up to them in height. For they are all given over to death, (AC)to the world (AD)below, among the children of man,[e] with those who go down to the pit.
15 “Thus says the Lord God: On the day (AE)the cedar[f] 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. 16 (AF)I made the nations quake at the sound of its fall, (AG)when I cast it down to Sheol with those who go down to the pit. (AH)And all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, (AI)were comforted in the world below. 17 They also went down to Sheol with it, (AJ)to those who are slain by the sword; yes, (AK)those who were its arm, (AL)who lived under its shadow among the nations.
18 (AM)“Whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness (AN)among the trees of Eden? (AO)You shall be brought down with (AP)the trees of Eden to the world below. (AQ)You shall lie among the uncircumcised, (AR)with those who are slain by the sword.
(AS)“This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord God.”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 31:3 Or its top went through the thick boughs
- Ezekiel 31:10 Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew you
- Ezekiel 31:10 Or its top through the thick boughs
- Ezekiel 31:14 Or their tops through the thick boughs
- Ezekiel 31:14 Or of Adam
- Ezekiel 31:15 Hebrew it
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
