Ezekiel 17:24

24 All the trees of the field will recognize that I, God, made the great tree small and the small tree great, made the green tree turn dry and the dry tree sprout green branches. I, God, said it - and I did it.'"

Ezekiel 17:24 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 17:24

And all the trees of the field shall know
All the nations of the World, and the great ones, and the mighty men of the earth, shall know, own, and acknowledge, when the above things are accomplished: 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:
some by the high and green tree understand Zedekiah, who was brought low; and by the "low" and "dry tree", Jeconiah, who was raised by the king of Babylon, ( Jeremiah 52:11 Jeremiah 52:31 Jeremiah 52:32 ) ; this is Jarchi's sense, and is mentioned by Kimchi: others, by the former, think Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonish monarchy are intended, which were brought down; and, by the latter, the house of David, and kingdom of Judah, which were exalted: though rather by the one are meant the people of the Jews, once the people of God, but now cast off; and by the other the Gentiles, called by the grace of God, and received by him: though it seems best of all to interpret the "high and green tree" of the mighty kingdoms of this world, which will be put down by Christ; and the "low and dry tree" of his kingdom and interest, which shall flourish and spread abundantly, and be an everlasting kingdom; see ( Daniel 2:44 ) ; I the Lord have spoken and have done [it];
because the prophecy of it is sure, and because of the certainty of the fulfilment of it, it is said to be done as soon as it was spoken of.

Ezekiel 17:24 In-Context

22 "'God, the Master, says, I personally will take a shoot from the top of the towering cedar, a cutting from the crown of the tree, and plant it on a high and towering mountain,
23 on the high mountain of Israel. It will grow, putting out branches and fruit - a majestic cedar. Birds of every sort and kind will live under it. They'll build nests in the shade of its branches.
24 All the trees of the field will recognize that I, God, made the great tree small and the small tree great, made the green tree turn dry and the dry tree sprout green branches. I, God, said it - and I did it.'"
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.