Ezekiel 31:3–9

³Think of Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon, ^d

with beautiful branches and shady foliage

and of lofty height.

Its top was among the clouds. ^e

⁴The waters caused it to grow;

the underground springs made it tall,

directing their rivers all around

the place where the tree was planted

and sending their channels

to all the trees of the field.

⁵Therefore the cedar became greater in height

than all the trees of the field. ^f

Its branches multiplied,

and its boughs grew long

as it spread them out

because of the plentiful water. ^g

⁶All the birds of the sky

nested in its branches, ^h

and all the animals of the field

gave birth beneath its boughs;

all the great nations lived in its shade.

⁷It was beautiful in its greatness,

in the length of its limbs,

for its roots extended to abundant water.

⁸The cedars in God’s garden could not rival it; ⁱ

the pine trees couldn’t compare with its branches,

nor could the plane trees match its boughs.

No tree in the garden of God

could compare with it in beauty.

⁹I made it beautiful with its many limbs,

and all the trees of Eden,

which were in God’s garden, envied it.