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Ezekiel Глава 31
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Английский оригинал
The prophecy of this chapter, as the two chapters before, is against Egypt, and designed for the humbling and mortifying of Pharaoh. In passing sentence upon great criminals it is usual to consult precedents, and to see what has been done to others in the like case, which serves both to direct and to justify the proceedings. Pharaoh stands indicted at the bar of divine justice for his pride and haughtiness, and the injuries he had done to God's people; but he thinks himself so high, so great, as not to be accountable to any authority, so strong, and so well guarded, as not to be conquerable by any force. The prophet is therefore directed to make a report to him of the case of the king of Assyria, whose head city was Nineveh. I. He must show him how great a monarch the king of Assyria had been, what a vast empire he had, what a mighty sway he bore; the king of Egypt, great as he was could not go beyond him, Eze 31:3-9. II. He must then show him how like he was to the king of Assyria in pride and carnal security, Eze 31:10. III. He must next read him the history of the fall and ruin of the king of Assyria, what a noise it made among the nations and what a warning it gave to all potent princes to take heed of pride, Eze 31:11-17. IV. He must leave the king of Egypt to apply all this to himself, to see his own face in the looking-glass of the king of Assyria's sin, and to foresee his own fall through the perspective glass of his ruin, Eze 31:18.
1-9
The King of Assyria's Greatness (588 BC)
简体中文
亚述王的荣华（主前588年）
¹ 十一年三月初一日，耶和华的话临到我说：
² 人子啊，你要对埃及王法老和他的群众说：你在威荣上，谁能与你相比呢？
³ 看哪，亚述王曾如利巴嫩中的香柏树，枝条荣美，影密如林，极其高大；树尖插入云霄。
⁴ 众水使它长大，渊深的水使它发旺；江河从四围环绕它，又流到田间所有的树上。
⁵ 所以它高大超过田间一切树木；它发旺的时候，枝子繁多，因水多而枝条长长。
⁶ 天上的飞鸟都在枝子上搭窝，田野的走兽都在枝条下生产，各国人民都在它荫下居住。
⁷ 它在威荣和枝条的长度上，因根在众水旁，就如此美丽。
⁸ 神园中的香柏树不能遮蔽它；松树不及它的枝子，枫树不及它的枝条；神园中的树木，没有能比得上它的美丽。
⁹ 我使它的枝条繁多，以致它甚为美丽；神园中、伊甸园内的众树都嫉妒它。
这则预言所注的日期，是耶路撒冷被攻取前一个月；正如前一章末了那则，约在被攻取前四个月。当神的百姓处于极深的困苦中时，从天上告诉他们，那杯——就是那震怒之杯——即将轮流传递，不久要从神百姓的手中拿出来，放在恨他们之人的手中（赛51:22,23）；这对他们是某种安慰，同时也足以遏制那些嗤笑他们的邻舍的骄傲和恶毒。在这则预言中：
一、先知受指示，要促使法老查考历史记录，找一个与自己情形类似的先例（结31:2）：「你要对法老和他的群众说」——对他那一大群随从（如此增添他的威仪）和他那一大群军队（如此增添他的力量）说话。他以这些为骄傲，也信靠这些；他们也都以他为骄傲，照样信靠他。如今问他：「你在威荣上，谁能与你相比呢？」我们常常借着比较来判断自己。那些自视甚高的人，幻想自己像这样那样被人极力称颂的人一样伟大、一样良善。君王的谄媚者告诉他们，他们在排场和尊荣上与谁相等。「好，」神说，「让他举出有史以来最负盛名的君王，我可以承认他在威荣上『与他相等』，毫不逊色；但无论他举出谁，他都将发现『他倾倒的日子到了』；他将看见『他的荣美』也有『尽头』，因此也必须照样指望自己的荣美有同样的结局。」请留意：别人的倾覆——无论是陷入罪中还是陷入毁灭——都是为要警戒我们，不可自恃，不可「心高气傲」，不可以为自己站立得稳、脱离了危险。
二、他受指示，向他举出一个他在威荣上与之相似的实例，那就是亚述（结31:3），其国权从宁录时代延续至此。西拿基立是那国权中的一位大君王；但不久之后它就在他之后衰落，尼布甲尼撒的国权建立在它的废墟之上，或说嫁接在它的本干上。现在让我们看看亚述王是何等昌盛的君王。在此他被比作一棵华美的香柏树（结31:3）。大卫家的荣耀也借同样的比喻得以阐明（结17:3）。橄榄树、无花果树和葡萄树——都是结果子的树——都曾拒绝「作树木之王」，因为它们不愿放弃结果子（士9:8等）；于是选择落在了香柏树身上，它高大强壮，投下大片荫影，却不结果子。1. 亚述的君王是一棵高耸的香柏树，正如利巴嫩的香柏树通常那样，「极其高大」，「树尖在云霄之中」；他由其他向他进贡的君王侍立左右，并被一支勇士组成的卫队环绕。他胜过四围一切的君王；在他眼中他们不过都是灌木（结31:5）：「他的高大超过田间一切树木」；他们许多都很高大，他却高过他们一切（结31:8）。香柏树，即使是伊甸园——我们可以假定那是同类中最好的——中的那些，也「不能遮蔽它」，它最高的枝子超过了它们的。2. 它是一棵四散伸展的香柏树；它的枝子不仅向上长高，也向外扩展，表明这位大有权势的君王不仅被高举到极大的尊荣，名声盖过地上一切伟人，更获得了极大的统治权和权能；他的疆域广阔，他的征服远及四方，他的影响更是远及更远之处。这棵香柏树如「葡萄树」一般，「发出枝子到了海，到了河」（诗80:11）。「它的枝子繁多；枝条长长」（结31:5）；以致它「投下密荫」（结31:3）。这大大增添了它的美，使它在长高的同时也同比例地宽广。它「在威荣、枝条的长度上如此美丽」（结31:7），既十分端庄，又十分威严，「因枝条繁多而美丽」（结31:9）。他广大的版图治理得宜，如同一棵四散的树，因园丁的技艺而被修剪成形、秩序井然，看起来十分悦目。他的政权在智者眼中是可爱的，正如在众人眼中是可敬的。「松树」不及「它的枝子」那样挺直、青翠、整齐；「枫树」的枝条也不及它的枝条那样茂密、舒展。简言之，「神园中」——在伊甸园，在巴比伦（因为巴比伦所在之处正是当年乐园栽植之处），那里有各样「悦人眼目」的树（创2:9）——「没有一棵树能在美丽上与这棵香柏树相比」；这就是说，在四围列国中，没有一位君王像亚述王那样被人如此钦佩、如此逢迎、人人如此爱慕。他们许多人「行事都有力量」，但他「胜过他们一切」，盖过他们一切。「伊甸园中的众树都嫉妒它」（结31:9）。当他们发现自己无法与它相比时，就因它远远超过自己而愤怒忧伤，暗暗忌恨它当得的称赞。请留意：凡在任何方面超过别人的人，便因此使自己成为嫉妒的对象，这是他们的不幸；「谁能敌得住嫉妒呢？」3. 它是有用的，正如一棵矗立生长的香柏树所能有的用处，那也仅在于它的荫影（结31:6）：「天上的飞鸟」，各样种类的，「都在它的枝子上搭窝」，在那里它们得避天气的侵害。「田野的走兽」也来寻求「它的枝条」的保护。它们在那里或起或卧；它们在那里「生产幼崽」；因为那里有天然的遮蔽，可避炎热和风暴。这一切的意思是：「在它的荫下，各国人民都居住」；他们都投奔它求安全，并甘愿向它效忠，只要它肯承担保护他们的责任，正如行路的人在阵雨中来到茂密的树下避雨。请留意：凡有权柄的人，当用权柄保护并安慰他们所管辖的人；因为他们受托付权柄正是为此。就是荆棘，若被膏为王，也邀请众树来「投靠它的荫下」（士9:15）。但任何受造之物——即使亚述王本人——所能给予的最大保障，也不过是像树的荫影，不过是稀少而单薄的保护，让人在许多方面仍暴露在外。所以我们当投靠神求保护，他必把我们「藏在翅膀的荫下」，在那里我们要比在最强壮、最高耸的香柏树下更温暖、更安全（诗17:8，91:4）。4. 它似乎在自己的威荣和权能上立定稳固。因为：（1）是神「使它美丽」（结31:9）。因为君王借他掌权。它所披戴的荣美是神所赐的。请留意：地上伟人的高升，必须看见并承认神的手，因此我们不可嫉妒他们；然而那并不能保证他们的亨通长久，因为赐他们美丽的，若将之收回，也晓得如何使之变为丑陋。（2）它似乎根基稳固。这棵香柏树不像「沙漠中的杜松，住在旷野干旱之处」（耶17:6）；它不是「干旱之地的根」（赛53:2）。不；它有充裕的财富支撑它的权势和威仪（结31:4）：「众水使它长大」；他有巨大的财宝、广大的储备和军需，那些如同「渊深的水使它发旺」；还有因税捐、关税和王室租金源源而来的经常收入，那些如同「江河从四围环绕它的植物」；这些使他能在各处巩固并保障自己的利益，因为他「派出小河」，或管道，「流到田间所有的树上」，浇灌它们；当他们「从王宫得着口粮」（拉4:14），他们的地「又被王的地所奉养」（徒12:20），他们就要服事他、忠于他。凡有财富如大河涌流而来的人，便发觉自己有责任以小河再将之输送出去；因为「财物增添，吃的人也增添」，人越有，便越需要；并且越有，所需也越多。这棵香柏树的「枝条长长」，是因为「水多」滋润它（结31:5,7）；「它的根在众水旁」，这似乎保证了「它的叶子也不枯干」（诗1:3），它必「不见炎热来到」（耶17:8）。请留意：属世的人似乎拥有稳固的亨通，然而那不过是似乎如此（伯5:3，诗37:35）。
Английский оригинал
The King of Assyria's Greatness (588 BC)
¹ 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 a 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 out 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.
This prophecy bears date the month before Jerusalem was taken, as that in the close of the foregoing chapter about four months before. When God's people were in the depth of their distress, it would be some comfort to them, as it would serve likewise for a check to the pride and malice of their neighbours, that insulted over them, to be told from heaven that the cup was going round, even the cup of trembling, that it would shortly be taken out of the hands of God's people and put into the hands of those that hated them, Isa 51:22,23. In this prophecy,
I. The prophet is directed to put Pharaoh upon searching the records for a case parallel to his own (Eze 31:2): Speak to Pharaoh and to his multitude, to the multitude of his attendants, that contributed so much to his magnificence, and the multitude of his armies, that contributed so much to his strength. These he was proud of, these he put a confidence in; and they were as proud of him and trusted as much in him. Now ask him, Whom art thou like in thy greatness? We are apt to judge of ourselves by comparison. Those that think highly of themselves fancy themselves as great and as good as such and such, that have been mightily celebrated. The flatterers of princes tell them whom they equal in pomp and grandeur. "Well," says God, "let him pitch upon the most famous potentate that ever was, and it shall be allowed that he is like him in greatness and no way inferior to him; but, let him pitch upon whom he will, he will find that his day came to fall; he will see there was an end of all his perfection, and must therefore expect the end of his own in like manner." Note, The falls of others, both into sin and ruin, are intended as admonitions to us not to be secure or high-minded, nor to think we stand out of danger.
II. He is directed to show him an instance of one whom he resembles in greatness, and that was the Assyrian (Eze 31:3), whose monarchy had continued from Nimrod. Sennacherib was one of the mighty princes of that monarchy; but it sunk down soon after him, and the monarchy of Nebuchadnezzar was built upon its ruins, or rather grafted upon its stock. Let us now see what a flourishing prince the king of Assyria was. He is here compared to a stately cedar, Eze 31:3. The glory of the house of David is illustrated by the same similitude, Eze 17:3. The olive-tree, the fig-tree, and the vine, which were all fruit-trees, had refused to be promoted over the trees because they would not leave their fruitfulness (Jdg 9:8, etc.), and therefore the choice falls upon the cedar, that is stately and strong, and casts a great shadow, but bears no fruit. 1. The Assyrian monarch was a tall cedar, such as the cedars in Lebanon generally were, of a high stature, and his top among the thick boughs; he was attended by other princes that were tributaries to him, and was surrounded by a life-guard of brave men. He surpassed all the princes in his neighbourhood; they were all shrubs to him (Eze 31:5): His height was exalted above all the trees of the field; they were many of them very high, but he overtopped them all, Eze 31:8. The cedars, even those in the garden of Eden, which we may suppose were the best of the kind, would not hide him, but his top branches outshot theirs. 2. He was a spreading cedar; his branches did not only run up in height, but run out in breadth, denoting that this mighty prince was not only exalted to great dignity and honour, and had a name above the names of the great men of the earth, but that he obtained great dominion and power; his territories were large, and he extended his conquests far and his influences much further. This cedar, like a vine, sent forth his branches to the sea, to the river, Ps 80:11. His boughs were multiplied; his branches became long (Eze 31:5); so that he had a shadowing shroud, Eze 31:3. This contributed very much to his beauty, that he grew proportionably large as well as high. He was fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches (Eze 31:7), very comely as well as very stately, fair by the multitude of his branches, Eze 31:9. His large dominions were well managed, like a spreading tree that is kept in shape and good order by the skill of the gardener, so as to be very beautiful to the eye. His government was as amiable in the eyes of wise men as it was admirable in the eyes of all men. The fir-trees were not like his boughs, so straight, so green, so regular; nor were the branches of the chestnut-trees like his branches, so thick, so spreading. In short, no tree in the garden of God, in Eden, in Babylon (for that stood where paradise was planted), where there was every tree that was pleasant to the sight (Ge 2:9), was like to this cedar in beauty; that is, in all the surrounding nations there was no prince so much admired, so much courted, and whom every body was so much in love with, as the king of Assyria. Many of them did virtuously, but he excelled them all, outshone them all. All the trees of Eden envied him, Eze 31:9. When they found they could not compare with him they were angry and grieved that he so far outdid them, and secretly grudged him the praise due to him. Note, It is the unhappiness of those who in any thing excel others that thereby they make themselves the objects of envy; and who can stand before envy? 3. He was serviceable, as far as a standing growing cedar could be, and that was only by his shadow (Eze 31:6): All the fowls of heaven, some of all sorts, made their nests in his boughs, where they were sheltered from the injuries of the weather. The beasts of the field put themselves under the protection of his branches. There they were levant—rising up, and couchant—lying down; there they brought forth their young; for they had there a natural covert from the heat and from the storm. The meaning of all is, Under his shadow dwelt all great nations; they all fled to him for safety, and were willing to swear allegiance to him if he would undertake to protect them, as travellers in a shower come under thick trees for shelter. Note, Those who have power ought to use it for the protection and comfort of those whom they have power over; for to that end they are entrusted with power. Even the bramble, if he be anointed king, invites the trees to come and trust in his shadow, Jdg 9:15. But the utmost security that any creature, even the king of Assyria himself, can give, is but like the shadow of a tree, which is but a scanty and slender protection, and leaves a man many ways exposed. Let us therefore flee to God for protection, and he will take us under the shadow of his wings, where we shall be warmer and safer than under the shadow of the strongest and stateliest cedar, Ps 17:8,91:4. 4. He seemed to be settled and established in his greatness and power. For, (1.) It was God that made him fair, Eze 31:9. For by him kings reign. He was comely with the comeliness that God put upon him. Note, God's hand must be eyed and owned in the advancement of the great men of the earth, and therefore we must not envy them; yet that will not secure the continuance of their prosperity, for he that gave them their beauty, if they be deprived of it, knows how to turn it into deformity. (2.) He seemed to have a good bottom. This cedar was not like the heath in the desert, made to inhabit the parched places (Jer 17:6); it was not a root in a dry ground, Isa 53:2. No; he had abundance of wealth to support his power and grandeur (Eze 31:4): The waters made him great; he had vast treasures, large stores and magazines, which were as the deep that set him up on high, constant revenues coming in by taxes, customs, and crown-rents, which were as rivers running round about his plants; these enabled him to strengthen and secure his interests every where, for he sent out his little rivers, or conduits, to all the trees of the field, to water them; and when they had maintenance from the king's palace (Ezr 4:14), and their country was nourished by the king's country (Ac 12:20), they would be serviceable and faithful to him. Those that have wealth flowing upon them in great rivers find themselves obliged to send it out again in little rivers; for, as goods are increased, those are increased that eat them, and the more men have the more occasion they have for it; yea, and still the more they have occasion for. The branches of this cedar became long, because of the multitude of waters which fed them (Eze 31:5,7); his root was by great waters, which seemed to secure it that its leaf should never wither (Ps 1:3), that it should not see when heat came, Jer 17:8. Note, Worldly people may seem to have an established prosperity, yet it only seems so, Job 5:3, Ps 37:35.
10-18
The King of Assyria's Downfall; The Fall of Assyria (588 BC)
简体中文
亚述王的覆灭；亚述的倾覆（主前588年）
¹⁰ 所以主耶和华如此说：因他高大，在密枝中树梢耸起，他心也因高大而自高；
¹¹ 我就必将他交在列国中有威势的人手中；那人必对付他。我因他的恶行已经把他驱逐。
¹² 外邦人，就是列国中强暴的，将他砍断弃掉；他的枝条落在众山上，一切的谷中；他的枝子被折断，落在遍地的一切河边；地上众民都从他的荫下离开，丢弃了他。
¹³ 空中一切的飞鸟都要住在他败落的枝子上；田野一切的走兽都要卧在他的枝条上。
¹⁴ 好使水旁的树木不因高大自尊，也不在密枝中树梢耸起，一切得水滋润的也不因高大而自立；因为他们都被交与死亡，下到地底，在人子之中，与下坑的人一同沉沦。
¹⁵ 主耶和华如此说：他下阴间的那日，我便使人悲哀；我为他遮盖深渊，约束其中的江河，大水停滞；我又使黎巴嫩为他悲哀，田野的树木都因他发软枯干。
¹⁶ 我将他扔下阴间、与下坑的人同去的时候，就使列国因他坠落的响声震动；伊甸的一切树木，就是黎巴嫩中精挑选的、得水滋润的，都在地底下得着安慰。
¹⁷ 他们也与他一同下阴间，到被刀剑所杀的人那里；他们曾作他的膀臂，就是在列国中住在他荫下的。
¹⁸ 你在伊甸的树木中，在荣耀和威势上，能与谁相比呢？然而你要与伊甸的树木一同被带下，到地底深处：你要躺在未受割礼的人中间，与被刀剑所杀的人一同安卧。这就是法老和他的群众。这是主耶和华说的。
我们已经看见埃及王在威仪、权势和昌盛上像亚述王，他在伟大上与他何等相似；如今这里我们看见，
一、他如何在骄傲上也与他相似（结31:10）。因为正如镜中的脸彼此相对，败坏属肉体的心也是彼此相对；兴旺境遇的试探既胜过了一些人，也害了许多人。「你」——埃及王啊——「因高大而自尊」，因你的财富和权势而骄傲（结29:3）。「他」（即亚述王）也是如此；当他在密枝中树梢耸起之时，他的心立刻因他的高大而自高，变得狂妄专横，公然违抗神自己，又践踏他的百姓；亚述大王差遣给希西家的信息（赛36:4）和他所送的信就是明证。他论到自己和自己所成就的，何等狂傲！论到那位又伟大又善良的希西家，又何等藐视！埃及人和亚述人在其他罪上也有一致之处，尤其是欺压神的百姓这一项，是同时加在他们两人身上的（赛52:4）；但这里把这罪追溯到它的根源，那就是骄傲；因为骄傲人所充满的，正是他们的轻慢。当留意，当人的外在境遇升高之时，他的心思也常常随之升高；在极大尊荣之中仍能存谦卑之心，实在是罕见的。
二、他因此也必在他的覆灭上与他相似；为要解释这比较的这一部分，
- 这里记述了亚述王覆灭的历史。神说，至于他（结31:11），我因他如此自高，就已经将他交在列国中有威势的人手中。玛代王居鲁士阿克萨（Cyaxares）在位第二十六年，与巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒在位第一年联合，毁灭了尼尼微，并随之毁灭了亚述帝国。尼布甲尼撒虽然当时还不是，但后来成了名副其实的列国中有威势的人——在列国中最为强盛、凌驾于他们之上最为强盛，足以胜过他们。
(1) 论到亚述的覆灭，这里有三件事：[1] 是神自己命定他的覆亡：我已将他交在行刑者的手中；我已经把他驱逐。当留意，神是审判者，他降卑一人、高举另一人（诗75:7）；当他愿意时，他可以拔除并驱逐那些自以为、在别人看来也似乎已深深扎根的人。异教中最有权势的人，若不是全能者亲手把他们交在他们手中，也断不能胜过他们所争战的人。[2] 是他自己的罪招致了他的覆亡：我因他的恶行把他驱逐。凡从尊荣、权势和产业中被驱逐的，无一不是因他们的恶行。我们一切安慰的失落，无非是已经千万次当被剥夺的。恶人被赶逐，是因他们的恶行。[3] 是列国中有威势的人要作他覆亡的工具；因为神常使用一个恶人来刑罚另一个恶人。他必对付他，必知道如何驾驭他，无论他何等伟大。当留意，骄傲专横的人迟早要遇见他们的对手。
(2) 在这亚述覆亡的历史中请观察，[1] 香柏树之喻的延续。他长得很高，把枝子伸展得很远；但他倾倒的日子到了。第一，这棵华美的香柏树被砍伐：列国中强暴的人将他砍断。兵丁既受武装又受命于杀戮、灭绝，可算是列国中强暴的人。他们先砍下他的枝子，夺取了他版图的一部分，并从他手中夺去；以致在周围列国的众山众谷之中、在众水之旁，都有城市或地区从亚述帝国被折断——它们原属其下，却或叛离或被夺回。它的羽毛原是借来的；当每一只鸟取回自己的羽毛，它就赤裸如树的残桩。第二，它被离弃：地上众民，就是曾投奔他求庇护的，都从他的荫下离开，丢弃了他。当他不能再庇护他们时，他们就以为不再欠他效忠。大人物不可因追随他们、倚靠他们的人数众多而骄傲；那不过是为有所得着。当护理向他们皱眉，他们的随从不久就四散离开他们。第三，它被凌辱，它的覆亡被人夸胜（结31:13）：在他败落的枝子上，空中一切的飞鸟都要停留，践踏这棵香柏树折断的枝子。它的覆亡被别的树木夸胜，因为它们恼怒自己被它遮蔽得如此之多：伊甸的一切树木，就是早已被它砍下、倒在它面前的，一切得水滋润的——正如留在南方的树残桩据说是被天上的露水打湿（但4:23），并因水的气息而发芽（伯14:9）——都要在地底下得着安慰，因为看见这棵骄傲的香柏树被降到与他们同样的低处。Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris——受苦之人有同受苦难的伙伴，是一种安慰。相反，黎巴嫩的树木，就是仍在高度和力量上挺立的，却为他悲哀，田野的树木都因他发软，因为他们不能不在他的倾倒中看见自己的命运。香柏树若摇动，松树啊，你要哀号，因为它们不能指望长久站立（亚11:2）。[2] 香柏树之喻的解释。砍伐这棵香柏树所象征的，就是这位强大君王和他一切党羽、支持者被杀戮；他们都被交与死亡，要倒在刀剑之下，正如香柏树被斧砍倒。他和他的首领——他曾说他们全都是王——下到坟墓，到地底深处，在人子之中，如同没有尊贵或分别的平民。他们如同人一样死亡（诗82:7）；他们被下坑的人带走，他们的威仪既不能保护他们，也不随他们而下。再者（结31:16），他被扔下阴间，与下坑的人同去；他进入死人的境况，与别人一样被埋葬，归于幽暗和被遗忘。再者（结31:17），他们凡作他膀臂的——他所倚靠的、藉以行动并施展权能的——凡住在他荫下的、他的臣民和盟友，以及一切倚靠他的，他们都一同下到覆亡之中，下到坟墓与他一同、到被刀剑所杀的人那里，到在他们之前被不寻常之死剪除的人那里，背负着罪与羞愧的重担。大人物倾倒之时，必有许多人随之倾倒，正如也有许多人在他们之前倾倒一样。[3] 神在使这位强大君王和他的国度覆亡时，所定意、所瞄准的目标。他所定意的，第一，是向周围的列国发出警报，叫他们都惊惶、都驻足、都注目（结31:16）：我使列国因他坠落的响声震动。他们看见如此伟大的君王竟这样被降卑，都大为震惊。这给了他们一切倚靠一个打击，人人都想自己的日子也快到了。他下阴间的那日（结31:15），我便使人悲哀——一种普遍的哀悼，正如全王国在君王驾崩时披麻一样。为表明这种普遍的忧伤，我为他遮盖深渊——把它换上黑色，叫一切事务停顿，以顺应这普世的悲哀。我约束江河，大水停滞，使它们改流他道——就是哀悼之道。黎巴嫩，就是叙利亚王国——它有时与亚述结盟——尤其为他悲哀；正如巴比伦的盟邦那样（启18:9）。第二，向周围的列国和他们的君王发出警戒（结31:14）：好使水旁的树木，纵然处境再优越，也不因高大自尊，不因自己骄傲自大，不在密枝中树梢耸起而轻看别人，也不因高大而自立，自恃自己的谋略和权势，仿佛永不会倾倒。让一切都以亚述为鉴，因为他曾像他们中任何一位那样高昂着头，自以为像他们中任何一位那样立得稳固；但骄傲在他的毁灭之先，他的自信也落空了。当留意，骄傲自恃之人的倾倒，是为警戒别人存心谦卑。尼布甲尼撒亲自参与倾覆亚述，若他也接受这警戒，对他本是好事。
- 这里预言埃及王照样要覆亡（结31:18）。他自以为在荣耀和威势上像亚述，胜过伊甸的一切树木，如同柏树超过灌木。「但你也必被带下*，与伊甸中其他悦人眼目的树木一同。你必被带到坟墓，到地底深处；你必躺在未受割礼的人中间，就是那些死于污秽之中、死得不见荣耀、死在咒诅之下、远离神的人中间；那时你所践踏的人必向你夸胜，说：*这就是法老和他的群众。*看他的面貌何等卑微，他躺卧得何等低；看他所夸的一切威仪和骄傲如今到了何等地步；这里就是他剩下的一切。」当留意，大人物和大众，连同他们在世上所造成的偌大场面和偌大声势，当神与他们相争之时，不久就要变成微不足道，比虚无还不如——正如法老和他的一切群众。
Английский оригинал
The King of Assyria's Downfall; The Fall of Assyria (588 BC)
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.
We have seen the king of Egypt resembling the king of Assyria in pomp, and power, and prosperity, how like he was to him in his greatness; now here we see,
I. How he does likewise resemble him in his pride, Eze 31:10. For, as face answers to face in a glass, so does one corrupt carnal heart to another; and the same temptations of a prosperous state by which some are overcome are fatal to many others too. "Thou, O king of Egypt! hast lifted up thyself in height, hast been proud of thy wealth and power, Eze 29:3. And just so he (that is, the king of Assyria); when he had shot up his top among the thick boughs his heart was immediately lifted up in his height, and he grew insolent and imperious, set God himself at defiance, and trampled upon his people;" witness the messages and letter which the great king, the king of Assyria, sent to Hezekiah, Isa 36:4. How haughtily does he speak of himself and his own achievements! how scornfully of that great and good man! There were other sins in which the Egyptians and the Assyrians did concur, particularly that of oppressing God's people, which is charged upon them both together (Isa 52:4); but here that sin is traced up to its cause, and that was pride; for it is the contempt of the proud that they are filled with. Note, When men's outward condition rises their minds commonly rise with it; and it is very rare to find a humble spirit in the midst of great advancements.
II. How he shall therefore resemble him in his fall; and for the opening of this part of the comparison,
1. Here is a history of the fall of the king of Assyria. For his part, says God (Eze 31:11), I have therefore, because he was thus lifted up, delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen. Cyaxares, king of the Medes, in the twenty-sixth year of his reign, in conjunction with Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the first year of his reign, destroyed Nineveh, and with it the Assyrian empire. Nebuchadnezzar, though he was not then, yet afterwards became, very emphatically, the mighty one of the heathen, most mighty among them and most mighty over them, to prevail against them.
(1.) Respecting the fall of the Assyrian three things are affirmed:—[1.] It is God himself that orders his ruin: I have delivered him into the hand of the executioner; I have driven him out. Note, God is the Judge, who puts down one and sets up another (Ps 75:7); and when he pleases he can extirpate and expel those who think themselves, and seem to others, to have taken deepest root. And the mightiest ones of the heathens could not gain their point against those they contended with if the Almighty did not himself deliver them into their hands. [2.] It is his own sin that procures his ruin: I have driven him out for his wickedness. None are driven out from their honour, power, and possessions, but it is for their wickedness. None of our comforts are ever lost but what have been a thousand times forfeited. If the wicked are driven away, it is in their wickedness. [3.] It is a mighty one of the heathen that shall be the instrument of his ruin; for God often employs one wicked man in punishing another. He shall surely deal with him, shall know how to manage him, great as he is. Note, Proud imperious men will, sooner or later, meet with their match.
(2.) In this history of the fall of the Assyrian observe, [1.] A continuation of the similitude of the cedar. He grew very high, and extended his boughs very far; but his day comes to fall. First, This stately cedar was cropped: The terrible of the nations cut him off. Soldiers, who being both armed and commissioned to kill, and slay, and destroy, may well be reckoned among the terrible of the nations. They have lopped off his branches first, have seized upon some parts of his dominion and forced them out of his hands; so that in all mountains and valleys of the nations about, in the high-lands and low-lands, and by all the rivers, there were cities or countries that were broken off from the Assyrian monarchy, that had been subject to it, but had either revolted or were recovered from it. Its feathers were borrowed; and, when every bird had fetched back its own, it was naked like the stump of a tree. Secondly, It was deserted: All the people of the earth, that had fled to him for shelter, have gone down from his shadow and have left him. When he was disabled to give them protection they thought they no longer owed him allegiance. Let not great men be proud of the number of those that attend them and have a dependence upon them; it is only for what they can get. When Providence frowns upon them their retinue is soon dispersed and scattered from them. Thirdly, It was insulted over, and its fall triumphed in (Eze 31:13): Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, to tread upon the broken branches of this cedar. Its fall is triumphed in by the other trees, who were angry to see themselves overtopped so much: All the trees of Eden, that were cut down and had fallen before him, all that drank water of the rain of heaven, as the stump of the tree that is left in the south is said to be wet with the dew of heaven (Da 4:23) and to bud through the scent of water (Job 14:9), shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth when they see this proud cedar brought as low as themselves. Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris—To have companions in woe is a solace to those who suffer. But, on the contrary, the trees of Lebanon, that are yet standing in their height and strength, mourned for him, and the trees of the field fainted for him, because they could not but read their own destiny in his fall. Howl, fir-trees, if the cedar be shaken, for they cannot expect to stand long, Zec 11:2. [2.] An explanation of the similitude of the cedar. By the cutting down of this cedar is signified the slaughter of this mighty monarch and all his adherents and supporters; they are all delivered to death, to fall by the sword, as the cedar by the axe. He and his princes, who, he said, were altogether kings, go down to the grave, to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, as common persons of no quality or distinction. They died like men (Ps 82:7); they were carried away with those that go down to the pit, and their pomp did neither protect them nor descend after them. Again (Eze 31:16), He was cast down to hell with those that descend into the pit; he went into the state of the dead, and was buried as others are, in obscurity and oblivion. Again (Eze 31:17), They all that were his arm, on whom he stayed, by whom he acted and exerted his power, all that dwelt under his shadow, his subjects and allies, and all that had any dependence on him, they all went down into ruin, down into the grace with him, unto those that were slain with the sword, to those that were cut off by untimely deaths before them, under the load of guilt and shame. When great men fall a great many fall with them, as a great many in like manner have fallen before them. [3.] What God designed, and aimed at, in bringing down this mighty monarch and his monarchy. He designed thereby, First, To give an alarm to the nations about, to put them all to a stand, to put them all to a gaze (Eze 31:16): I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall. They were all struck with astonishment to see so mighty a prince brought down thus. It give a shock to all their confidences, every one thinking his turn would be next. When he went down to the grave (Eze 31:15) I caused a mourning, a general lamentation, as the whole kingdom goes into mourning at the death of the king. In token of this general grief, I covered the deep for him, put that into black, gave a stop to business, in complaisance to this universal mourning. I restrained the floods, and the great waters were stayed, that they might run into another channel, that of lamentation. Lebanon particularly, the kingdom of Syria, that was sometimes in confederacy with the Assyrian, mourned for him; as the allies of Babylon, Re 18:9. Secondly, To give an admonition to the nations about, and to their kings (Eze 31:14): To the end that none of all the trees by the waters, though ever so advantageously situated, may exalt themselves for their height, may be proud and conceited of themselves and shoot up their top among the thick boughs, looking disdainfully upon others, nor stand upon themselves for their height, confiding in their own politics and powers, as if they could never be brought down. Let them all take warning by the Assyrian, for he once held up his head as high, and thought he kept his footing as firm, as any of them; but his pride went before his destruction, and his confidence failed him. Note, The fall of proud presumptuous men is intended for warning to others to keep humble. It would have been well for Nebuchadnezzar, who was himself active in bringing down the Assyrian, if he had taken the admonition.
2. Here is a prophecy of the fall of the king of Egypt in like manner, Eze 31:18. He thought himself like the Assyrian in glory and greatness, over-topping all the trees of Eden, as the cypress does the shrubs. "But thou also shalt be brought down, with the other trees that are pleasant to the sight, as those in Eden. Thou shalt be brought to the grave, to the nether or lower parts of the earth; thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, that die in their uncleanness, die ingloriously, die under a curse and at a distance from God; then shall those whom thou hast trampled upon triumph over thee, saying, This is Pharaoh and all his multitude. See how mean he looks, how low he lies; see what all his pomp and pride have come to; here is all that is left of him." Note, Great men and great multitudes, with the great figure and great noise they make in the world, when God comes to contend with them, will soon become little, less than nothing, such as Pharaoh and all his multitude.
本章的预言，正如前两章一样，是针对埃及的，目的是要使法老谦卑、使他受辱。在对大罪犯判刑时，通常要参考先例，看看在同样案件中别人受到了怎样的对待，这既指引又证明这些程序是正当的。法老站在神圣公义的审判台前，被控告骄傲狂妄，并苦害了神的百姓；但他自视如此之高、如此之大，以为不必向任何权柄交账；又自以为如此之强、防卫如此之严密，以为没有任何力量能征服他。因此先知受指示，要向他报告亚述王的事——亚述王的首都就是尼尼微。一、他必须向他指明亚述王曾是怎样一位伟大的君王，他拥有何等广大的帝国，他的权势何等显赫；埃及王虽大，却不能超过他（结31:3-9）。二、他然后必须向他指明，他在骄傲和属肉体的安全感上何等像亚述王（结31:10）。三、他接着必须向他宣读亚述王倾覆灭亡的历史——这在列国中引起了何等的轰动，又给一切有权势的君王留下了何等的警戒，叫他们提防骄傲（结31:11-17）。四、他必须让埃及王自己将这一切应用于自身，从亚述王之罪这面镜子中看见自己的面目，并借亚述王灭亡这望远镜预见自己的倾覆（结31:18）。