Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 31

Dummelow's Commentary on the BibleDummelow on the Bible

Verses 1-18


The Fall of the Great Cedar

Egypt was a stately cedar, thick, lofty, and spreading; sheltering all the fowls and beasts (the nations) in its branches and under its shadow (Ezekiel 31:1-6). It was the envy of all the trees (other great empires) in Eden, the garden of God (Ezekiel 31:7-9). But because of its pride it is given into the hands of a mighty one (Nebuchadrezzar), who will cut it down. Those whom it sheltered will be scattered or will trample on it when it has fallen (Ezekiel 31:10-13). This will be a warning to all trees (empires) against pride (Ezekiel 31:14). Egypt will go down to the nether world, and all the great nations already there will be comforted when it arrives.

1. The eleventh year.. the third month] May-June, 586 b.c., about two months before the fall of Jerusalem.

3. The Assyrian] has evidently no connexion with the subject of the prophecy, which is Egypt. It has been supposed that the chapter describes the downfall of Assyria, as a type of that of Egypt, but it is much more probable that instead of ’the Assyrian’ we should read ’a teasshur’ or box-tree, as in Ezekiel 27:6. ’Behold a box-tree, a cedar,’ etc.

4. Waters.. rivers] the waters of the Nile. The allegory is not strictly consistent as to locality. The cedar is in Lebanon and also apparently in Eden.

11. I have therefore delivered] RV ’I will even deliver.’

14. All that drink water] all trees: so in v.

16. Delivered unto death] another instance of Ezekiel’s conception of the nations as personified and surviving in the under-world: see Isaiah 14:9-20.

15. The deep.. the floods (RV ’rivers’) .. the waters] those referred to in Isaiah 14:4. Ezekiel poetically says that the rivers of Egypt would cease to flow, in token of mourning for the nation’s fall.

Bibliographical Information
Dummelow, John. "Commentary on Ezekiel 31". "Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible". https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dcb/ezekiel-31.html. 1909.