And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD …: The conjunction And may be rendered “Then” (New Century Version, Moffatt). All the trees of the field are all the trees of the bush. New Century Version says “all the trees in the countryside.” The theme of recognizing God by what he does reappears here (see verse 21). It may be strange in some languages to say that trees … know something, but it is best to retain the figurative language if possible (compare 6.7, where the mountains of Israel will know God). It is not clear which action prompts this recognition. Most translations understand it to be God’s actions described in this verse (so Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, New Living Translation, King James Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), but it is better to understand it as the action of planting the cedar shoot, described in verses 22-23; for example, Good News Translation makes this clear by rendering this clause as separate sentence, saying “All the trees in the land will know that I am the LORD” (similarly New Revised Standard Version, New Century Version, New American Standard Bible, Bible en français courant).

I … bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish: This description of God’s activity is structured in strict Hebrew poetry, which reads literally:

I will make low a tree [that is] high, I will make high a tree [that is] low;
I will dry up a tree [that is] green, and I will cause to bud a tree [that is] dry.

The first line has a play on two words, “low” and “high,” and the second line has a play on the word “dry.” The first line does not refer to God cutting down a tall tree, or making a short tree grow tall, as some translations imply (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, New Living Translation). Rather, it refers to humiliating proud trees and exalting humble trees (so New American Standard Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). This is figurative language. It may be difficult to convey the concepts expressed by low and high. The first line may be rendered “I will make low and humble a tree that is high and proud. I will make high and honor a tree that is low and humble.” The second line refers to causing a green tree (that is, one that is alive) to wither and die, and giving life to a dry tree (that is, one that is dead). Both lines point to God’s supernatural power to do the impossible. These two lines make clear the parable of the cedar tree in verses 22-23. The cedar shoot that God will plant stands for Jerusalem and the trees of the field are the surrounding nations. The low tree and the dry tree may refer to Jehoiachin, and the high tree and the green tree may refer to Zedekiah, although it is just as good to understand these trees as general references to God’s actions. In any case, these historical references should not be included in translation.

I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it: For I the LORD have spoken, see verse 21. This clause reinforces that the prophecy is true, because God himself spoke it. I will do it adds even more stress on the reliability of the word of God.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .