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.

I have delivered him into the hands of the mighty one of the nations, he shall deal with him: I have cast him out according to his wickedness.

I have given him into the hand of the mighty one of the nations; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness.

I give him into the hand of a god of nations, He dealeth sorely with him, In his wickedness I have cast him out.

I have given him up into the hands of a strong one of the nations; he will certainly give him the reward of his sin, driving him out.

I do even deliver him into the hand of the mighty one of the nations; he shall surely deal with him; I do drive him out according to his wickedness.

I have delivered him into the hands of the most powerful one among the Gentiles, so that he will deal with him. I have cast him out, in accord with his impiety.

More accurately: Therefore I will deliver him, etc he shall surely deal with him. I have driven him out, etc.

The mighty one of the heathen - Nebuchadnezzar. It is worthy of notice, that Nebuchadnezzar, in the first year of his reign, rendered himself master of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire. See Sedar Olam. This happened about twenty years before Ezekiel delivered this prophecy; on this account, Ashshur, Ezekiel 31:3, may relate to the Assyrians, to whom it is possible the prophet here compares the Egyptians. But see the note on Ezekiel 31:3.

I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the (e) mighty one of the nations; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness.
(e) That is, of Nebuchadnezzar, who was the monarch and only ruler of the world.

I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the Heathen,.... Or, into the hand of the mightiest of the nations (o); the mightiest prince among them. Some understand this of Arbaces the Mede, by whom Sardanapalus had been defeated long before this time: others of Merodachbaladan king Babylon, by whom Esarhaddon the Assyrian monarch was vanquished; or rather Nebuchadnezzar, who was called Nabopolassar; who, in the first year (p) of his reign, in conjunction with Cyaxares king of Media, took Nineveh, the metropolis of the Assyrian monarchy; and this was by the appointment of God, and under the direction of his providence, and through the success he gave to the arms of these princes, according to his own decrees and prophecies. Some render it, "into the hand of the god of the nations" (q); yet meaning either Cyaxares or Nebuchadnezzar; so called because of their great power and might, and which they had from the Lord:
he shall surely deal with him; or, "in doing he shall do to him" (r); he shall do with him as he pleases he shall easily manage him, though so powerful; and deal with him according to his deserts; or, as the Targum, he shall take vengeance on him, as he did:
I have driven him out for his wickedness; out of his court and palace; out of his royal city Nineveh; out of his kingdom and dominions; and he shall reside and reign no more there; and all this for his wickedness, pride, and oppression, and other sins: when God strips men of their honour, riches, power, and dominion, it is because of their abuse of them; for some sin, or sins, or wickedness they have been guilty of, both against him and men; and therefore it is but just and righteous in him to dethrone such princes, and drive them from their seats.
(o) "in manum fortissimi gentium", Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius, Polanus; "potentissimi", Piscator. (p) Seder Olam Rabba, p. 69. (q) "In manum dei gentium", Montanus, Starckius; "deo gentium", Castalio. (r) "faciendo faciet ei", Pagninus, Montanus; "faciendo faciebat ipsi", Starckius.

Here the literal supersedes the figurative.
shall surely deal with him--according to his own pleasure, and according to the Assyrian's (Sardanapalus) desert. Nebuchadnezzar is called "the mighty one" (El, a name of God), because he was God's representative and instrument of judgment (Daniel 2:37-38).

Him - The proud king of Assyria, Sardanapalus. The mighty one - Arbaces, who first struck at the root of this Cedar, might well be styled the mighty one of the heathen, since he could bring together four hundred thousand of Medes, Persians, Babylonians, and Arabians.