Ezekiel 17 24

Ezekiel 17:24 kjv

And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it.

Ezekiel 17:24 nkjv

And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I, the LORD, have spoken and have done it."

Ezekiel 17:24 niv

All the trees of the forest will know that I the LORD bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. "?'I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.'?"

Ezekiel 17:24 esv

And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the LORD; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it."

Ezekiel 17:24 nlt

And all the trees will know that it is I, the LORD, who cuts the tall tree down and makes the short tree grow tall. It is I who makes the green tree wither and gives the dead tree new life. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do what I said!"

Ezekiel 17 verses

Ezekiel 17 24 Meaning

Ezekiel 17:24 declares the Lord's absolute and uncontested sovereignty over all earthly powers, kingdoms, and human destinies. It emphasizes His unique ability to reverse the natural order and human expectations: He can humble the mighty, exalt the lowly, bring decay to what appears flourishing, and bestow life and prosperity upon what seems utterly desolate. The verse culminates in the affirmation that God's spoken word is equivalent to His accomplished deed, assuring that His divine will, specifically concerning the re-establishment of His kingdom through the promised Messiah (alluded to in previous verses), will undoubtedly come to pass, and all the nations will acknowledge His supreme authority.

Ezekiel 17 24 Context

Ezekiel chapter 17 is presented as a complex riddle and parable addressed to the house of Israel. It employs the metaphor of two great eagles and a vine to explain the geo-political situation involving Babylon, Egypt, and Judah during Ezekiel's time. The first great eagle represents King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who had deported King Jehoiachin and leading citizens to Babylon (symbolized by the 'tender twig' removed from the 'highest of the cedars') and placed Zedekiah on the throne of Judah (represented by the 'seed from the land' planted by the eagle). Zedekiah, however, violated his solemn oath to Babylon by seeking military assistance from Egypt, symbolized by the second great eagle. This act of treachery and reliance on human alliances rather than God led to Jerusalem's downfall. Preceding verse 24, Ezekiel 17:22-23 pivots to a powerful Messianic prophecy, foretelling that God Himself will take a tender twig from the highest of a high cedar (referring to the Davidic lineage, ultimately Christ) and plant it on a high mountain, where it will grow into a magnificent, protective cedar, symbolizing the universal and everlasting kingdom of the Messiah. Verse 24 serves as the profound, culminating declaration by God, confirming His absolute power to orchestrate these radical reversals—from human kingdoms to His eternal divine rule—and His unerring commitment to fulfill His prophetic word.

Ezekiel 17 24 Word analysis

• And all the trees of the field: Hebrew: vəkhāl ʿēṣ haśśādēh (וְכָל עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה). "Trees" here, consistent with the prophetic language of Ezekiel (cf. Eze 31, Daniel 4) and other biblical texts (e.g., Ps 1, Isa 10), are metaphors for nations, rulers, or influential people. "Of the field" emphasizes the earthly sphere, encompassing all human kingdoms and powers. This collective term signifies the universal recognition of God's sovereign acts.
• shall know: Hebrew: yēdəʿû (יֵדְעוּ). More than mere intellectual awareness, this term implies experiential, undeniable understanding and acknowledgment. It suggests a forced recognition of God's power through observed events and judgments, bringing forth proper awe and fear of the Lord.
• that I the Lord: Hebrew: ʾănî YHWH (אֲנִי יְהוָה). This is a declaration of divine self-identification, emphasizing the covenant name of God (Yahweh, often translated "LORD"), denoting His personal, relational, and absolutely sovereign nature. It asserts that these acts of reversal are uniquely His doing.
• have brought down: Hebrew: hishpalltî (הִשְׁפַּלְתִּי). From shāphēl, meaning to bring low, humble, abase. This verb describes God's direct, purposeful action of humbling what is exalted in human eyes.
• the high tree: Hebrew: ʿēṣ gābôah (עֵץ גָּבֹהַּ). Symbolizes proud, powerful, seemingly insurmountable nations or rulers, such as Babylon or Egypt, or Judah's own rebellious kings. This highlights their fall from power by divine decree.
• have exalted: Hebrew: higbaḥtî (הִגְבַּהְתִּי). From gābah, meaning to make high, elevate, promote. This is the exact antithesis to "brought down," signifying God's ability to raise up what is insignificant.
• the low tree: Hebrew: ʿēṣ shāphāl (עֵץ שָׁפָל). Symbolizes nations or people who are humbled, despised, or deemed weak. In the immediate context, this refers to the 'tender twig' that grows into a magnificent cedar (Eze 17:22-23), signifying the re-establishment of the Davidic line in the Messiah and His humble, yet universally significant, kingdom.
• have dried up: Hebrew: hôvashtî (הוֹבַשְׁתִּי). From yābhēsh, to be or become dry, wither, cause to perish. This imagery conveys desolation, loss of vitality, and judgment.
• the green tree: Hebrew: ʿēṣ laḥ (עֵץ לַח). Literally "moist tree," indicating one full of sap, flourishing, vigorous, seemingly self-sufficient, and enjoying prosperity.
• and have made the dry tree: Hebrew: vəhiphrachtî ʿēṣ yābhēsh (וְהִפְרַחְתִּי עֵץ יָבֵשׁ). "Dry tree" (yābhēsh) is barren, withered, lifeless. It represents despair, death, and hopelessness, often signifying a nation in exile or spiritual decay.
• to flourish: Hebrew: hiphrachtî (הִפְרַחְתִּי). From pārach, meaning to bud, blossom, cause to break forth and bring forth fruit. This signifies miraculous restoration, life from death, renewed vitality, and prosperity where none was expected.
• I the Lord have spoken and have done it: Hebrew: ʾănî YHWH dibbartî vǝʿâśı̂tî (אֲנִי יְהוָה דִּבַּרְתִּי וְעָשִׂיתִי). This conclusive phrase is a powerful declaration of God's absolute faithfulness, sovereignty, and the immediate efficacy of His word. There is no gap between God's intention/declaration and its execution. His word is the deed; what He says will be. It signifies the undeniable certainty of His prophetic fulfillment.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord": This phrase sets the stage for universal recognition of God's unmatched authority. "Trees of the field" encapsulates all worldly powers and peoples. The emphasis on "I the Lord" personalizes this universal awareness, revealing Him as the sole orchestrator of these grand reversals, against any claims of human agency or other deities.
• "have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree": This expresses God's moral governance, frequently demonstrated throughout biblical history. It illustrates His power to humble the arrogant and uplift the oppressed, showing that worldly power and status are subject to His divine redistribution, not human designs or might.
• "have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish": This second parallel antithesis speaks to God's ultimate control over life, vitality, and prosperity. It demonstrates that earthly flourishing is ephemeral and can be divinely cut short, while hopelessness and desolation can be transformed into vibrant life, signifying divine judgment on the self-sufficient and miraculous restoration for the desolate.
• "I the Lord have spoken and have done it": This climactic declaration underscores the certainty of God's prophetic word and sovereign will. It reiterates that divine pronouncement is not merely prediction but a performative act, confirming the inevitability of the actions previously stated. This certainty also authenticates all His promises, including the one regarding the tender twig (the Messiah) in Eze 17:22-23.

Ezekiel 17 24 Bonus section

This verse perfectly encapsulates the Deus Solus (God Alone) theme prevalent throughout scripture, affirming that salvation, judgment, and the ordering of human history reside solely with Him. The pattern of God reversing fortunes is consistently validated throughout redemptive history: from the exodus of a humbled Israel from mighty Egypt, to the humbling of arrogant Babylon, and ultimately in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ Himself was the ultimate "low tree" (humiliated in death) who was "exalted" to the highest place (ascension and coronation as King), making the dry tree (humanity alienated from God) flourish (spiritual regeneration and eternal life). The divine declaration, "I the Lord have spoken and have done it," serves as both a comfort and a warning: comfort to those who humbly trust in God's promises, knowing they will be fulfilled, and a warning to those who proudly defy His authority, for their fall is inevitable by His word alone.

Ezekiel 17 24 Commentary

Ezekiel 17:24 functions as a summary and powerful divine seal upon the preceding parable and prophecy. It provides the profound theological interpretation for God's actions concerning Judah, Babylon, Egypt, and ultimately, His promised Messianic kingdom. The "trees" metaphorically represent nations and their rulers, with God declaring His complete supremacy over them. He demonstrates an unconstrained power to dismantle established empires ("high tree") and elevate those perceived as insignificant ("low tree"), or to strip away prosperity from the seemingly robust ("green tree") while miraculously breathing life and flourishing into the desolate ("dry tree"). This systematic reversal defies human logic and pride, affirming that divine sovereignty supersedes all earthly strengths and alliances. The concluding statement, "I the Lord have spoken and have done it," asserts the immutable efficacy of God's word, rendering His prophecies not merely predictions, but declarations of accomplished fact. This verse prepares the audience for the miraculous growth of the tender twig (Messiah's kingdom) mentioned earlier in the chapter, signifying that its establishment is assured not by human means, but by the irrefutable decree and power of the sovereign Lord.