Ezekiel 31

Ezekiel 31:1

THe eleventh] namely, Of the captivity of Jehoiachin, Ezekiel 1:2.

Ezekiel 31:2

Whom art thou like] Equall thy selfe, if thou wilt, through thy pride, to the greatest Empires of the world: as to the Assyrian, which was the first and mightiest of all, and thou mayest see how I have overthrowne it; the like shall happen to thee, see Isay. 23. 13.

Ezekiel 31:3

A Cedar] See Ezek. 17 3. 22. 23. Daniel 4:10.

Ezekiel 31:4

The waters] He was growne great through abundance of all prosperties Her rivers] The great sea of his happinesse did seeme to run round, as it doth at the comming in of great rivers, at the foot of this tree; and hee out of his grace and plentie, seemed to send forth some small streames out of it to other Kingdomes.

Ezekiel 31:6

The soules] The greatest part of man-kind lived under dominion and protection.

Ezekiel 31:8

The Cedars] No other great Kingdome, likened to the trees of earthly Paradice, Ezekiel 28:13. could equall him in height and greatnesse.

Ezekiel 31:10

Thou hast] namely, thou Assyrian Empire.

Ezekiel 31:11

Of the mighty] namely, Of Nebuchadnezzar, who subdued Assyria, and overthrew the Empire of it.

Ezekiel 31:12

Strangers] namely, The Chaldeans.

Ezekiel 31:13

The soules] namely, The nations which were subject to the Assyrians, after the overthrow of their Empire, did prey upon them, with contempt.

Ezekiel 31:14

That none] I have set forth this spectacle of my judgements upon Ashur, fot to reach all Princes that are growne great through my blessings, not to raise themselves against mee through pride; for they are all mortall by nature, and I can bring down their estates as I have raised them.

Ezekiel 31:15

I caused] By this fall of Assyria, I raised a generall horror, and terror in them all; seeing him on a sudden deprived of my helpe and blessing, by the meanes of which he had prospered so well.

Ezekiel 31:16

Comforted] Having so great a Kingdome for their companion in miserie, their evill seemed lesser, and more tolerable unto them: a figurative and poeticall representation, as Isa. 14. 8. 9, 10. Ezekiel 32:31. Habakkuk 2:17.

Ezekiel 31:17

His arme] that is to say, All his power and dominion.

Ezekiel 31:18

To whom] He applies the foresaid things by comparison to Pharaoh, as if he should say, Compare thy selfe to whom thou wilt, thou canst not avoid ruine This is Pharaoh] as much as to say, All this Allegoricall speech hath a relation to Pharaoh.