The Meaning of Ezekiel 31:2 Explained

Ezekiel 31:2

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

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

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Ezekiel 31:2 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The prophet was to speak this one to Pharaoh Hophra and to the Egyptians. Obviously Ezekiel was in Babylon and they were in Egypt, but he was to speak publicly as though he were addressing them in person. He asked rhetorically who the Egyptians were like in their greatness.

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 31:2 mean?

Son of man say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude Whom are you like in your greatness
בֶּן־ אָדָ֕ם אֱמֹ֛ר אֶל־ פַּרְעֹ֥ה מֶֽלֶךְ־ מִצְרַ֖יִם וְאֶל־ הֲמוֹנ֑וֹ מִ֖י דָּמִ֥יתָ ؟ בְגָדְלֶֽךָ

בֶּן־  Son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אָדָ֕ם  of  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
אֱמֹ֛ר  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
פַּרְעֹ֥ה  Pharaoh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
מִצְרַ֖יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
וְאֶל־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הֲמוֹנ֑וֹ  his  multitude 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: הָמֹון 
Sense: (Qal) murmur, roar, crowd, abundance, tumult, sound.
מִ֖י  Whom 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
דָּמִ֥יתָ  are  you  like 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּמָה  
Sense: to be like, resemble.
؟ בְגָדְלֶֽךָ  in  your  greatness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: גֹּדֶל  
Sense: greatness.