Ezekiel 31:2
New International Version
“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes: “’Who can be compared with you in majesty?

New Living Translation
“Son of man, give this message to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and all his hordes: “To whom would you compare your greatness?

English Standard Version
“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude: “Whom are you like in your greatness?

Berean Standard Bible
“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude: ‘Who can be compared to your greatness?

King James Bible
Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness?

New King James Version
“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude: ‘Whom are you like in your greatness?

New American Standard Bible
“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes, ‘Whom are you like in your greatness?

NASB 1995
“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes, ‘Whom are you like in your greatness?

NASB 1977
“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude, ‘Whom are you like in your greatness?

Legacy Standard Bible
“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude, ‘To whom do you liken yourself in your greatness?

Amplified Bible
“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes, ‘Whom are you like in your greatness?

Christian Standard Bible
“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes, ‘Who are you like in your greatness?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes: Who are you like in your greatness?

American Standard Version
Son of man, say unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude: Whom art thou like in thy greatness?

Contemporary English Version
Ezekiel, son of man, tell the king of Egypt and his people that I am saying: You are more powerful than anyone on earth. Now listen to this.

English Revised Version
Son of man, say unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Son of man, say to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and his many people, 'Was there ever anyone as great as you?

Good News Translation
"Mortal man," he said, "say to the king of Egypt and all his people: How powerful you are! What can I compare you to?

International Standard Version
"Son of Man, tell this to Pharaoh, king of Egypt and his gangs: 'Who do you think you are? What makes you so great?

Majority Standard Bible
?Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude: ?Who can be compared to your greatness?

NET Bible
"Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and his hordes: "'Who are you like in your greatness?

New Heart English Bible
"Son of man, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude: 'Whom are you like in your greatness?

Webster's Bible Translation
Son of man, speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness?

World English Bible
“Son of man, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt and his multitude: ‘Whom are you like in your greatness?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude: To whom have you been like in your greatness?

Young's Literal Translation
'Son of man, say unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and unto his multitude: To whom hast thou been like in thy greatness?

Smith's Literal Translation
Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude: To whom wert thou like in thy greatness?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Son of man, speak to Pharao king of Egypt, and to his people: To whom art thou like in thy greatness?

Catholic Public Domain Version
“Son of man, speak to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and to his people: To whom can you be compared in your greatness?

New American Bible
Son of man, say to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and to his hordes: In your greatness, whom do you resemble?

New Revised Standard Version
Mortal, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes: Whom are you like in your greatness?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Son of man, speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his armed forces: To whom do you liken yourself in your greatness?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
“Son of man, say to Pharaoh, King of Egypt, and to his mighty ones: ‘To whom are you like in your greatness?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Son of man, say unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude: Whom art thou like in thy greatness?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Son of man, say to Pharao king of Egypt, and to his multitude; To whom hast thou compared thyself in thy haughtiness?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Egypt will Fall Like Assyria
1In the eleventh year, on the first day of the third month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude: ‘Who can be compared to your greatness? 3Look at Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches that shaded the forest. It towered on high; its top was among the clouds.…

Cross References
Isaiah 14:13-14
You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north. / I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

Daniel 4:10-12
In these visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this come to pass: There was a tree in the midst of the land, and its height was great. / The tree grew large and strong; its top reached the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth. / Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and upon it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, in its branches the birds of the air nested, and from it every creature was fed.

Isaiah 10:33-34
Behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts will lop off the branches with terrifying power. The tall trees will be cut down, the lofty ones will be felled. / He will clear the forest thickets with an axe, and Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One.

Jeremiah 46:7-8
Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters churn? / Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers, boasting, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy the cities and their people.’

Isaiah 2:12-13
For the Day of the LORD of Hosts will come against all the proud and lofty, against all that is exalted—it will be humbled— / against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up, against all the oaks of Bashan,

Daniel 4:20-22
The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth, / whose foliage was beautiful and whose fruit was abundant, providing food for all, under which the beasts of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air nested— / you, O king, are that tree! For you have become great and strong; your greatness has grown to reach the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.

Isaiah 37:24
Through your servants you have taunted the Lord, and you have said: “With my many chariots I have ascended to the heights of the mountains, to the remote peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the finest of its cypresses. I have reached its farthest heights, the densest of its forests.

Jeremiah 50:31-32
“Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts, “for your day has come, the time when I will punish you. / The arrogant one will stumble and fall with no one to pick him up. And I will kindle a fire in his cities to consume all those around him.”

Isaiah 10:18-19
The splendor of its forests and orchards, both soul and body, it will completely destroy, as a sickness consumes a man. / The remaining trees of its forests will be so few that a child could count them.

Isaiah 14:8
Even the cypresses and cedars of Lebanon exult over you: “Since you have been laid low, no woodcutter comes against us.”

Matthew 11:23
And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.

Luke 14:11
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Matthew 23:12
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

2 Thessalonians 2:4
He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

Revelation 18:7
As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow and will never see grief.’


Treasury of Scripture

Son of man, speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom are you like in your greatness?

speak

Jeremiah 1:5,17
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations…

Revelation 10:11
And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

to his

Ezekiel 29:19
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.

Ezekiel 30:10
Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon.

Nahum 3:8-10
Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea? …

Whom

Ezekiel 31:18
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.

Isaiah 14:13,14
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: …

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Compared Egypt Great Greatness Hordes Majesty Multitude Pharaoh Power Speak
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Compared Egypt Great Greatness Hordes Majesty Multitude Pharaoh Power Speak
Ezekiel 31
1. A relation unto Pharaoh
3. of the glory of Assyria
10. and the fall thereof for pride
18. The like destruction of Egypt














Son of man
This phrase is a frequent designation for Ezekiel, used over 90 times in the book. In Hebrew, "ben adam" emphasizes the prophet's humanity and his role as a representative of mankind. It underscores the humility and frailty of human nature in contrast to the divine. The term "son of man" also foreshadows the title Jesus often used for Himself, linking the prophetic and messianic roles across the Testaments. It reminds us of our own human limitations and the need for divine guidance.

say to Pharaoh king of Egypt
This directive is a clear command from God to Ezekiel, instructing him to deliver a message to Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt. Historically, Egypt was a powerful nation, often seen as a symbol of worldly strength and pride. The mention of Pharaoh ties the prophecy to a specific historical context, likely during the reign of Pharaoh Hophra (Apries), who ruled from 589-570 BC. This phrase highlights the sovereignty of God over all nations and leaders, emphasizing that no earthly power is beyond His reach or judgment.

To whom can you be compared in your greatness?
This rhetorical question challenges Pharaoh's pride and self-perception. In Hebrew, the word for "compared" (damah) suggests likeness or resemblance. The question implies that despite Egypt's grandeur, it is not unique or invincible. This serves as a humbling reminder that all human greatness is ultimately subject to God's authority. Theologically, it points to the futility of human pride and the transient nature of earthly power, urging us to find our identity and worth in God alone.

(2) His multitude.--The word means literally tumult, and applies to the multitude as influenced by whatever is the occasion of tumult: their wealth, their idols, their sources of pride of every kind.

Verse 2. - The parable is addressed, not to Pharaoh only, but to his multitude i.e., as in Ezekiel 30:4, for his auxiliary forces. It opens with one of the customary formulae of an Eastern apologue (Mark 4:30), intended to sharpen the curiosity and win the attention of the prophet's hearers or readers. It is significant that the question is repeated at the close of the parable, as if the prophet had left the interpretation to his readers, as our Lord does in saying, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of man,
אָדָ֕ם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

say
אֱמֹ֛ר (’ĕ·mōr)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Pharaoh
פַּרְעֹ֥ה (par·‘ōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6547: Pharaoh -- a title of Egypt kings

king
מֶֽלֶךְ־ (me·leḵ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Egypt
מִצְרַ֖יִם (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

and to
וְאֶל־ (wə·’el-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

his multitude:
הֲמוֹנ֑וֹ (hă·mō·w·nōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1995: A noise, tumult, crowd, disquietude, wealth

‘Who
מִ֖י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

can be compared
דָּמִ֥יתָ (dā·mî·ṯā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1819: To compare, to resemble, liken, consider

to your greatness?
בְגָדְלֶֽךָ׃ (ḇə·ḡā·ḏə·le·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1433: Magnitude


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 31:2 Son of man tell Pharaoh king (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 31:1
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