Ezekiel 21 26

Ezekiel 21:26 kjv

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high.

Ezekiel 21:26 nkjv

thus says the Lord GOD: "Remove the turban, and take off the crown; Nothing shall remain the same. Exalt the humble, and humble the exalted.

Ezekiel 21:26 niv

this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Take off the turban, remove the crown. It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low.

Ezekiel 21:26 esv

thus says the Lord GOD: Remove the turban and take off the crown. Things shall not remain as they are. Exalt that which is low, and bring low that which is exalted.

Ezekiel 21:26 nlt

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "Take off your jeweled crown,
for the old order changes.
Now the lowly will be exalted,
and the mighty will be brought down.

Ezekiel 21 verses

Ezekiel 21 26 Meaning

This verse proclaims a divine judgment against the corrupt kingship of Judah, particularly King Zedekiah. It signals a complete overturning of the established order: the royal authority symbolized by the turban and crown will be stripped away, and the status quo will be drastically reversed. God declares that the proud and powerful will be humbled, and the humble and lowly will be exalted, setting the stage for a new, righteous kingdom.

Ezekiel 21 26 Context

Ezekiel 21:26 is part of a series of oracles of judgment delivered by Ezekiel against Judah and Jerusalem during the period of their impending destruction by Babylon. Specifically, it belongs to the "Sword of the Lord" prophecy (Ezek 21:1-27). This particular verse is a direct address and pronouncement of judgment against "the unholy, wicked prince of Israel," identified as King Zedekiah (Ezek 21:25). Historically, Zedekiah was the last king of Judah before the Babylonian exile, a vassal king installed by Nebuchadnezzar. He broke his oath to Babylon and rebelled, bringing severe judgment upon Jerusalem. The prophecy details Nebuchadnezzar's advance towards Judah (Ezek 21:19-23) and God's role in orchestrating this downfall. The verse serves as a crucial theological declaration: it's not merely political upheaval but divine intervention that causes the kingdom's collapse and the reversal of status for its leaders. The phrase "things shall not remain as they are" encapsulates the end of an era—the end of the Davidic monarchy in its present corrupt form—and hints at a future re-establishment under a righteous king.

Ezekiel 21 26 Word analysis

• Thus says the Lord GOD: This is a powerful prophetic formula, "Koh 'amar Adonai Yahweh," signifying a direct, authoritative declaration from God Himself. It emphasizes divine revelation and the unshakeable truth of the following pronouncement. The prophet is merely a messenger.
• Remove: The Hebrew verb "hasar" (הָסִיר) means "to take off," "to remove," "to put away." It is an imperative, a direct command, indicating an irreversible action mandated by God, not by human will.
• the turban: The Hebrew "tsanaph" (צְנִיף) refers to a turban or diadem. It was a common head-covering in the ancient Near East, often associated with dignity, status, or office, including priestly (Ex 28:4, 39:28) and possibly royal figures in a non-formal crown sense, or a sign of an enthroned ruler (Zec 3:5). Here, it signifies the removal of dignity and authority.
• and take off: The Hebrew "harim" (הָרִים) means "to lift off," "to remove," "to raise." Like "remove," it's an imperative conveying divine decree.
• the crown: The Hebrew "atarah" (עֲטָרָה) distinctly denotes a crown or diadem, a clear symbol of royalty, sovereignty, and kingly power (2 Sam 12:30; Psa 21:3). Its removal signifies the stripping away of kingship and royal authority.
• things shall not remain as they are: The Hebrew phrase "lo' zot ve'zot" (לֹא זֹאת וְזֹאת) can be rendered "not this, and this," implying a change of state. It's an emphatic declaration that the current political and social order is finished. The status quo of Judah's unrighteous leadership is utterly overthrown.
• Exalt: The Hebrew "hagiha'" (הַגְבִּיהַּ) is a Hiphil imperative of "gavah*", meaning "to make high," "to lift up," "to raise." It signifies the act of elevating someone from a lower to a higher status.
• the humble: The Hebrew "shaphal" (שָׁפָל) means "low," "humble," "abased," "debased." It describes those who are socio-politically or economically lowly, possibly oppressed, or spiritually humble before God.
• and abase: The Hebrew "hishaaphiil" (הַשְּׁפִּיל) is a Hiphil imperative of "shaphal", meaning "to bring low," "to humble," "to debase." It is the opposite action to "exalt."
• the proud: The Hebrew "gavoha" (גָּבֹהַּ) means "high," "exalted," "lofty," often referring to those who hold positions of power and privilege, but also implying haughtiness and arrogance (Isa 2:12; Prov 16:18).

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• Remove the turban, and take off the crown: This powerful parallelism uses two distinct terms for royal headwear to emphasize the complete and absolute removal of kingly authority. It signifies not just a political dethronement but a divinely ordained stripping of dignity and power from Judah's leadership. The priestly connotation of the turban might also suggest an overthrow of a corrupted religious system linked to the monarchy.
• things shall not remain as they are: This declarative statement conveys irreversible change. It underscores a radical divine intervention, signaling the end of an established order. It communicates divine judgment against complacency and a corrupt system that believed itself untouchable.
• Exalt the humble, and abase the proud: This is a classic biblical principle of divine justice, often called the "reversal principle" or the "Magnificat motif" (Luke 1:52-53). It predicts a complete upheaval of societal hierarchy, where those currently marginalized and lowly will be lifted, and those who are proud and in power will be brought down. It emphasizes God's concern for justice and His opposition to human arrogance. This reversal paves the way for a future, true righteousness.

Ezekiel 21 26 Bonus section

The imagery of stripping the turban and crown also carries a nuance of humiliation beyond mere dethronement. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a ruler's headwear was intrinsically linked to their honor and power. To remove it was to publicly shame and disgrace them. The use of two distinct terms, tsanaph (turban) and atarah (crown), could highlight the comprehensive nature of the judgment, encompassing both the regal office and perhaps a broader symbolic priestly or authoritative dignity that the kings sometimes claimed or misused. Some scholars connect the "turban" (often priestly in Exodus and Zechariah) to a symbolic blend of religious and political authority in the king, both aspects being brought to an end due to corruption. This verse marks the theological turning point where the theocratic institution of human kingship in Judah, as it was known, collapses and remains overturned ("A ruin, a ruin, a ruin!") until the arrival of Christ. This "overturn" also connects to the idea of God actively orchestrating world events and movements, even those seemingly political like Nebuchadnezzar's conquests, to achieve His divine purposes of judgment and subsequent restoration.

Ezekiel 21 26 Commentary

Ezekiel 21:26 serves as a foundational declaration of divine sovereignty over human rule, particularly within the context of Israel's kingship. The stripping of the "turban" and "crown" from King Zedekiah symbolizes the irreversible end of the existing Davidic monarchy, tainted by unrighteousness and disobedience. God, as the ultimate arbiter, removes the symbols of power because the human kings have misused their authority and failed to represent His justice. The pronouncement "things shall not remain as they are" asserts that God actively intervenes in history to disrupt corrupt systems. The subsequent command to "Exalt the humble, and abase the proud" is a universal principle of God's justice. It foreshadows a revolutionary reordering of society, where status is no longer based on earthly power or human pride but on God's divine standards. This immediate fulfillment in the Babylonian exile of Zedekiah also anticipates a greater Messianic reversal where Christ, the ultimate humble servant who was exalted, will establish a kingdom where true humility reigns, and all earthly pride is utterly cast down. This verse implicitly sets the stage for Ezekiel 21:27, which promises an overturning until the One "whose right it is" comes – a clear pointer to the coming Messiah, the righteous King who will finally receive the crown.