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.
Parallel translations
- WEB thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Remove the turban, and take off the crown. This will not be as it was. Exalt that which is low, and abase that which is high.
- 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.
- BSB This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Remove the turban, and take off the crown. Things will not remain as they are: Exalt the lowly and bring low the exalted.
- NASB this is what the Lord God says: ‘Remove the turban and take off the crown; this will no longer be the same. Exalt that which is low, and humble that which is high.
- 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God commands that the royal turban and crown be removed, overturning the existing order, exalting the low and abasing the high. The monarchy of Judah is humbled.
Overview
The removal of crown and turban signifies the end of Judah's kingship as it had been. God reverses human estates, a recurring theme of His justice (1 Sam. 2:7-8; Luke 1:52). The toppling of the Davidic throne is real, yet it prepares for the restoration of true kingship promised in the next verse.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Ezek 17:24All the trees of the field will know that I, Yahweh, 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, Yahweh, have spoken and have done it.’”
- Ps 75:7But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another.
- Jer 52:31–34In the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the twenty-fifth day of the month, Evilmerodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and released him from prison;
- Jer 13:18Say to the king and to the queen mother, “Humble yourselves, sit down; for your headdresses have come down, even the crown of your glory.
- Jer 52:9–11Then they took the king, and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; and he gave judgment on him.
- Ezek 16:12I put a ring on your nose, and earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.
- Luke 1:52He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly.
- Ezek 12:12–13“‘The prince who is among them will bear on his shoulder in the dark, and will go out. They will dig through the wall to carry out that way. He will cover his face, because he will not see the land with his eyes.
- Lam 5:16The crown is fallen from our head: Woe to us! for we have sinned.
- 2 Kgs 25:27In the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, Evilmerodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;
- 2 Kgs 25:6Then they captured the king, and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they passed judgment on him.
- 1 Sam 2:7–8Yahweh makes poor, and makes rich. He brings low, he also lifts up.
- Ps 113:7–8He raises up the poor out of the dust. Lifts up the needy from the ash heap;
- Jer 39:6–7Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes. The king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah.
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The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 21:26 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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