2 Either Egypt, or the Lord compares Egypt to Assyria, which is described in vv. 3–17 through the metaphor of a majestic tree. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (), 2:. Like Egypt, Assyria had been a great world power, but in time God brought the Assyrians down. Egypt should learn from history the lesson that no nation, no matter how powerful, can withstand the judgment of God. Rather than following the text here, some prefer to emend the proper name Assyria to a similar sounding common noun meaning “boxwood” (see Ezek 27:6), which would make a fitting parallel to “cedar of Lebanon” in the following line. In this case vv. 3–18 in their entirety refer to Egypt, not Assyria. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (), 2:.
3 Lebanon was know for its cedar trees (Judg 9:15; 1 Kgs 4:33; 5:6; 2 Kgs 14:9; Ezra 3:7; Pss 29:5; 92:12; 104:16).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon,

with beautiful branches and forest shade,

and of towering height,

its top among the clouds.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon,

with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest;

it towered on high,

its top above the thick foliage.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Think of Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon,

with beautiful branches and shady foliage

and of lofty height.

Its top was among the clouds.

NLTNew Living Translation

You are like mighty Assyria,

which was once like a cedar of Lebanon,

with beautiful branches that cast deep forest shade

and with its top high among the clouds.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Look! Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon,

with beautiful branches and a forest giving shade,

and very high,

and its treetop was between the clouds.

KJV 1900King James Version

Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs.

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