CHAPTER 31
In the eleventh
year,
in the third month,
on the first
day,
the word
of the LORD
came
to me,
saying,
“Son
of man,
say
to
Pharaoh
king
of Egypt
and to
his multitude:
‘Who
can be compared
to your greatness?
Look at
Assyria,
a cedar
in Lebanon,
with beautiful
branches
that shaded
the forest.
It towered
on high;
its top
was
among
the clouds.
The waters
made it grow;
the deep springs
made it tall,
directing
their streams
all around
its base
and sending
their channels
to
all
the trees
of the field.
Therefore
it towered
higher
than all
the trees
of the field.
Its branches
multiplied,
and its boughs
grew long
as it spread them out
because of the abundant
waters.
All
the birds
of the air
nested
in its branches,
and all
the beasts
of the field
gave birth
beneath
its boughs;
all
the great
nations
lived
in its shade.
It was beautiful
in its greatness,
in the length
of its limbs,
for
its roots
extended
to
abundant
waters.
The cedars
in the garden
of God
could not
rival it;
the pine trees
could not
compare
with
its branches,
nor
the plane trees
match
its boughs.
No
tree
in the garden
of God
could compare
with
its beauty.
I made
it beautiful
with its many
branches,
the envy
of all
the trees
of Eden,
which
were in the garden
of God.’
Therefore
this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘Since
it became great
in height
and set
its top
among
the clouds,
and it grew proud
on account of its height,
I handed it over
to the ruler
of the nations,
for
him to deal
with it
according to its wickedness.
I have banished it.
Foreigners,
the most ruthless
of the nations,
cut it down
and left it.
Its branches
have fallen
on
the mountains
and in every
valley;
its boughs
lay broken
in all
the earth’s
ravines.
And all
the peoples
of the earth
left
its shade
and abandoned it.
All
the birds
of the air
nested
on
its fallen trunk,
and all
the beasts
of the field
were
among
its boughs.
This happened so that
no other
trees
by the waters
would become great
in height
and set
their tops
among
the clouds,
and
no other
well-watered
trees
would reach
them in height.
For
they have all
been consigned
to death,
to
the depths
of the earth,
among
the mortals
who descend
to the Pit.'
This is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘On the day
it was brought down
to Sheol,
I caused grief.
I covered
the deep
because of it;
I held back
its rivers;
its abundant
waters
were restrained.
I made Lebanon
mourn
for it,
and all
the trees
of the field
fainted
because of it.
I made the nations
quake
at the sound
of its downfall,
when I cast it down
to Sheol
with
those who descend
to the Pit.
Then all
the trees
of Eden,
the choicest
and best
of Lebanon,
all
the well-watered trees,
were consoled
in the earth
below.
They
too
descended
with it
to Sheol,
to
those slain
by the sword.
As its allies
they had lived
in its shade
among
the nations.
Who
then
is like you
in glory
and greatness
among the trees
of Eden?
You also will be brought down
to
the depths
of the earth
to be with
the trees
of Eden.
You will lie
among
the uncircumcised,
with
those slain
by the sword.
This
is Pharaoh
and all
his multitude,
declares
the Lord
GOD.'"