United Commentaries

Ezek.25.1-32.32

This section contains a series of oracles against surrounding nations. There are six shorter oracles against Judah’s immediate neighbors, in clockwise geographical order, followed by a climactic seventh oracle against Egypt (chs 30–32). Through their experience of God’s judgment, the nations would recognize God’s sovereignty over all things. The nations might be used to bring about God’s judgment of his people, but that would not exempt them from judgment.

One of the key purposes of these oracles against the nations was to affirm that the negative side of God’s covenant with Abraham (“I will . . . curse those who treat you with contempt,” Gen 12:3) was in force. No one can assault God’s people and escape unscathed, even when God’s people are themselves under his judgment.

Ezek.29.1-32.32

The climactic seventh oracle against the nations is against Egypt, Israel’s old enemy and ally. This is the longest of the oracles, and like the oracle against Tyre it addresses both the land of Egypt and its ruler.

Egypt played a central role through the centuries in tempting Israel and Judah away from their allegiance to the Lord. Israel had no sooner departed from Egypt than Egypt’s idolatry became a snare for them. Egypt caused Judah to trust in chariots and horses instead of in the Lord, but Egypt proved unreliable when the moment of truth arrived. The Lord judged Egypt for tempting his people (cp. Luke 17:1-2).

Ezek.31.1-18

Ezekiel called on the Egyptians to compare themselves to Assyria, which was like a great tree in Eden (31:9). If that tree was felled and sent down to the underworld, how did Egypt, whose glory could never compare to Assyria’s, think it could stand?

Ezek.31.2-4

The cedar of Lebanon is a tree that was known for its visual splendor and commercial and military value.

Like a tree whose crown was among the clouds, Assyria’s military had once been strong beyond comparison to any other army.

Ezek.31.6

Like a great tree, Assyria provided shelter for all of the birds and wild animals of the earth. This tree was more splendid than all the trees in the garden of God (that is, the garden of Eden), with a God-given beauty and stature reminiscent of the prince of Tyre in ch 28. Assyria’s power was once so great that all the great nations of the world lived in its shadow.

Ezek.31.10-11

Egypt forgot that God had created her beauty, and she became proud and arrogant. As with Tyre, such pride would inevitably lead to a fall. The God who set Egypt in such an exalted position would send a divine lumberjack, in the form of a mighty nation that would destroy it as its wickedness deserved.

I have already discarded it: The human agent would simply be carrying out God’s decree.

Ezek.31.12-14

Egypt’s fate would teach the other nations that however high they set themselves, eventually they were all doomed to die and go down to the pit.

Ezek.31.15

The mourning over the great tree, Assyria, matched its great size.

The tallest cedar trees of the ancient world were found in Lebanon.

To be clothed . . . in black meant wearing garments of mourning.

Ezek.31.16-17

The nations all shook with fear at the shock waves created by Assyria’s fall. The great nations that had preceded it on the road to destruction and death were gratified to find it joining them in their disgrace, while its allies followed in its dangerous course.

Ezek.31.18

The point of this extended analogy finally emerges. Although Egypt’s strength and glory were great, it would be destroyed just as Assyria had been, and it would be disgraced along with the other nations that trusted in themselves and in their own greatness.