31 The Lord gave this message to me on the first day of the 3rd month, in the 11th year: 2 ‘Son of man, say this to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and all his people:
“You think that you are as powerful as any other country!
3 Think about how powerful Assyria was.
At one time, it was as strong as a great cedar tree in Lebanon.
It had beautiful branches that gave shade in the forest.
It was very tall. Its top reached up to the clouds.
4 Springs of water from under the ground helped it to grow very tall.
Rivers passed around the place where the tree was.
Streams from there gave water to all the trees in the forest.
5 So this cedar tree grew taller than all the other trees.
Its branches became large and very long.
It grew very well because it had plenty of water.
6 All kinds of birds built their nests among its leaves.
Under its branches, the wild animals gave birth.
All the great nations lived in its shade.
7 It was great and beautiful, with long branches.
Its roots went down deep into the ground
and they drank plenty of water.
8 The cedar trees in God's garden were not as beautiful.
The branches of the pine trees were not as strong.
No other tree in God's garden was nearly as great or as beautiful.
9 I made that tree beautiful, with all its strong branches.
All the trees in Eden, God's garden, were jealous of that tree.
10 So this is what the Almighty Lord says:
That great tree, Assyria, was very tall. Its top reached up to the clouds. It was very proud because it was so great. 11 Because of that, I put it under the power of the ruler of the nations. He has punished it as it deserved for its sins. In that way, I have removed it. 12 Foreigners from cruel nations have cut it down. They have left it on the ground. Its broken branches lie on the mountains and in the valleys. The people of other nations no longer live in its shade. They have gone away. 13 Now the birds go and sit on the bits of the tree that remain. The wild animals walk over its branches. 14 Because of that, no tree will ever grow as tall again. Even if it receives plenty of water, no tree will grow so tall that its top reaches up to the clouds. All trees will die and fall to the ground. Like people, they must die and go into their graves, under the ground.
15 This is what the Almighty Lord says: This tree has died and it has gone down into its grave. When that happened, I caused people to be very sad. I caused the springs of water to stop. There were no longer streams with plenty of water. I caused the mountains of Lebanon to become dark. All the trees in the forest became dry. 16 The other nations shook when they heard that great tree fall. I had caused it to go down into its grave, deep under the ground, as all people must die. The other strong trees saw what had happened to the great cedar tree. They were the trees of Eden and the best trees of Lebanon that had received plenty of water. They were pleased to see that the great cedar tree had fallen down. 17 The trees that had lived in the great tree's shade also fell and went into their graves. Those are the nations that had helped the great tree to fight its battles. They went to join other soldiers who had died in war.
18 Yes, Egypt is very strong, like the great trees of Eden. You are as great and powerful as any nation. But you will fall to the ground and go into your grave. It happened to Assyria and the other nations, and it will happen to you. You will lie under the ground among people who do not belong to me and who have died in war.
This is a picture of what will happen to Pharaoh and all his people. That is what the Almighty Lord says.” ’ [ a ]
31 On the first day of the third month in the eleventh year of exile, the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2 “Son of man, [ a ] say this to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and to his people:
“‘You are so great!
Who can I compare you to?
3 Assyria was a cedar tree in Lebanon with beautiful branches,
with forest shade, and very tall.
Its top was among the clouds!
4 The water made the tree grow.
The deep river made the tree tall.
Rivers flowed around the place
where the tree was planted.
Only small streams flowed from that tree
to all the other trees of the field.
5 So that tree was taller than all the other trees of the field,
and it grew many branches.
There was plenty of water,
so the tree branches spread out.
6 All the birds of the sky made their nests
in the branches of that tree,
and all the animals of the field gave birth
under the branches of that tree.
All the great nations lived
under the shade of that tree.
7 The tree was very beautiful.
It was so large!
It had such long branches.
Its roots had plenty of water.
8 Even the cedar trees in God’s garden
were not as big as this tree.
Cypress trees did not have as many branches.
Plane trees did not have such branches.
No tree in God’s garden
was as beautiful as this tree.
9 I gave it many branches
and made it beautiful.
And all the trees in Eden, God’s garden,
were jealous!’”
10 So this is what the Lord God says: “That tree grew tall. Its top reached up to the clouds. It grew so big that it became proud! 11 So I let a powerful king have that tree. That ruler punished the tree for the bad things it did. I took that tree out of my garden. 12 Strangers—the most terrible people in the world—cut it down and scattered its branches on the mountains and in the valleys. Its broken limbs drifted down the rivers flowing through that land. There was no more shadow under that tree, so all the people left. 13 Now birds live in that fallen tree. Wild animals walk over its fallen branches.
14 “Now, none of the trees by that water will be proud. They will not try to reach the clouds. None of the strong trees that drink that water will brag about being tall, because all of them must die. They will all go down into the world below, to Sheol, the place of death. They will join the other people who died and went down into that deep hole.”
15 This is what the Lord God says: “I made the people cry on the day that tree went down to Sheol. I covered him with the deep ocean. I stopped its rivers and all the water stopped flowing. I made Lebanon mourn for it. All the trees of the field became sick with sadness for that big tree. 16 I made the tree fall—and the nations shook with fear at the sound of the falling tree. I sent the tree down to the place of death to join the other people who had gone down into that deep hole. In the past, all the trees of Eden, the best of Lebanon, drank that water. The trees were comforted in the world below. 17 Yes, those trees also went down with the big tree to the place of death. They joined the people who were killed in battle. That big tree made the other trees strong. Those trees had lived under the big tree’s shadow among the nations.
18 “Egypt, there were many big and powerful trees in Eden. Which of those trees should I compare you to? They all went down into the world below! And you, too, will join those foreigners [ b ] in that place of death. You will lie there among the people killed in battle.
“Yes, that will happen to Pharaoh and to the crowds of people with him!” This is what the Lord God said.
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 the Lord came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness?
3 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.
4 The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent her little rivers unto all the trees of the field.
5 Therefore 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.
6 All 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.
7 Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters.
8 The 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.
9 I 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.
10 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;
11 I 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.
12 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 rivers of the land; and all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him.
13 Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches:
14 To 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.
15 Thus 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.
16 I 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.
17 They 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.
18 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 .
31 In the ( A ) eleventh year, in the third month , on the first of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his ( B ) hordes,
‘Whom are you like in your greatness?
3 Behold, Assyria was a ( C ) cedar in Lebanon
With beautiful branches and forest shade,
And [ a ] ( D ) very high,
And its top was among the [ b ] clouds.
4 The ( E ) waters made it grow, the [ c ] deep made it high.
With its rivers it continually [ d ] extended all around its planting place,
And sent out its channels to all the trees of the field.
5 Therefore ( F ) its height was loftier than all the trees of the field
And its boughs became many and its branches long
Because of ( G ) many waters [ e ] as it spread them out.
6 All the ( H ) birds of the sky nested in its twigs,
And under its branches all the animals of the field gave birth,
And all great nations lived under its shade.
7 So it was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches;
For its [ f ] roots extended to many waters.
8 The ( I ) cedars in ( J ) God’s garden [ g ] could not match it;
The junipers [ h ] could not compare with its branches,
And the plane trees [ i ] could not match its branches.
No tree in ( K ) God’s garden [ j ] could compare with it in its beauty.
9 I made it beautiful with the multitude of its branches,
And all the trees of ( L ) Eden, which were in the ( M ) garden of God, were jealous of it.
10 ‘Therefore this is what the Lord [ k ] God says: “Because [ l ] it is tall in stature and has put its top among the [ m ] clouds, and its ( N ) heart is haughty in its loftiness, 11 I will hand it over to a [ n ] ( O ) ruler of the nations; he will thoroughly deal with it. In accordance with its wickedness I have ( P ) driven it out. 12 ( Q ) Foreign ( R ) tyrants of the nations have cut it down and left it; on the ( S ) mountains and in all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its branches have been broken in all the ravines of the land. And all the peoples of the earth have ( T ) gone down from its shade and left it. 13 All the ( U ) birds of the sky will nest on its fallen trunk, and all the animals of the field will [ o ] rest on its fallen branches, 14 so that all the trees by the waters will not be exalted in their stature, nor put their tops among the [ p ] clouds, nor will any of their [ q ] well-watered mighty ones stand straight in their height. For they have all been turned over to death, to the ( V ) earth beneath, among [ r ] mankind, [ s ] with those who go down to the pit.”
15 ‘This is what the Lord God says: “On the day when it went down to Sheol I ( W ) caused mourning; I closed the [ t ] deep over it and held back its rivers. And its many waters were stopped up, and I made Lebanon mourn for it, and all the trees of the field wilted away on account of it. 16 I made the nations ( X ) quake from the sound of its fall when I made it ( Y ) go down to Sheol with those who go down to the pit; and all the [ u ] well-watered trees of Eden, the choicest and best of ( Z ) Lebanon, were ( AA ) comforted in the earth beneath. 17 They also ( AB ) went down with it to Sheol to those who were ( AC ) slain by the sword; and those who were its [ v ] strength lived ( AD ) in its shade among the nations.
18 “To which among the trees of Eden are you so alike in glory and greatness? Yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth beneath; you will lie in the midst of the ( AE ) uncircumcised with those who were killed by the sword. ( AF ) This is Pharaoh and all his hordes!”’ declares the Lord God .”
31 In the eleventh year, ( A ) in the third month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me: ( B ) 2 “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:
“‘Who can be compared with you in majesty?
3 Consider Assyria, ( C ) once a cedar in Lebanon, ( D )
with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest;
it towered on high,
its top above the thick foliage. ( E )
4 The waters ( F ) nourished it,
deep springs made it grow tall;
their streams flowed
all around its base
and sent their channels
to all the trees of the field. ( G )
5 So it towered higher ( H )
than all the trees of the field;
its boughs increased
and its branches grew long,
spreading because of abundant waters. ( I )
6 All the birds of the sky
nested in its boughs,
all the animals of the wild
gave birth ( J ) under its branches;
all the great nations
lived in its shade. ( K )
7 It was majestic in beauty,
with its spreading boughs,
for its roots went down
to abundant waters. ( L )
8 The cedars ( M ) in the garden of God
could not rival it,
nor could the junipers
equal its boughs,
nor could the plane trees ( N )
compare with its branches—
no tree in the garden of God
could match its beauty. ( O )
9 I made it beautiful
with abundant branches,
the envy of all the trees of Eden ( P )
in the garden of God. ( Q )
10 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the great cedar towered over the thick foliage, and because it was proud ( R ) of its height, 11 I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside, ( S ) 12 and the most ruthless of foreign nations ( T ) cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys; ( U ) its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it. ( V ) 13 All the birds settled on the fallen tree, and all the wild animals lived among its branches. ( W ) 14 Therefore no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined ( X ) for death, ( Y ) for the earth below, among mortals who go down to the realm of the dead. ( Z )
15 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day it was brought down to the realm of the dead I covered the deep springs with mourning for it; I held back its streams, and its abundant waters were restrained. Because of it I clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered away. ( AA ) 16 I made the nations tremble ( AB ) at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the realm of the dead to be with those who go down to the pit. Then all the trees ( AC ) of Eden, ( AD ) the choicest and best of Lebanon, the well-watered trees, were consoled ( AE ) in the earth below. ( AF ) 17 They too, like the great cedar, had gone down to the realm of the dead, to those killed by the sword, ( AG ) along with the armed men who lived in its shade among the nations.
18 “‘Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised, ( AH ) with those killed by the sword.
“‘This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign Lord .’”
