Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 31:7
Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters.
Fair; beautiful, lovely, and desirable. In his greatness; not exerted in tyranny and oppression, but exercised in the royal art of imitating the greatest and best being who is King over all, for he doth good to all.
In the length of his branches; how far soever remote, yet the justice and goodness of the government appeared the beauty of those provinces, as well as of the whole kingdom.
His root, whence he sprung, which supported and supplied the kingdom, was right, the laws, punishments, rewards, and encouragements neither founded in cruelty, nor maintained by violence.
By great waters; not by blood, which is no proper kindly nourishment for such cedars, but by waters, which are kindly and proper, and these great enough for his own growth and to nourish others too.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Thus was he fair in his greatness,…. Amiable, lovely, delightful to look upon in the greatness of his majesty, in his royal glory and dignity:
in the length of his branches; in the extent of his empire, and the provinces of it:
for his root was by great waters; his kingdom was well established, firmly rooted among a multitude of people; from whom he had a large revenue to support his throne and government, and the dignity of it; by tribute, taxes, customs, and presents; and through the large trade and traffic of his subjects in different parts, from whence he received great profit and advantage. The Targum is,
“and he became victorious by his auxiliaries, by the multitude of his mighty ones, so that his terror was upon many people.”
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Eze 31:7 Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters.
Ver. 7. Thus was he fair in his greatness ] Once again he setteth forth with how great power and glory God had adorned this first monarchy.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 31:7. A tree that lacks moisture will not be fair (beautiful.), while one that can dally drink from “earths sweet flowing breast will leaf out and put on growth of foliage and shoots for new life.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Assyria was beautiful and graceful because of the waters that sustained it, waters that were solely a gift of God’s grace. No tree in God’s garden of nations could compare with it. The other kingdoms were jealous of Assyria, which was preeminent in God’s Eden-like collection of nations.