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.
Remove the diadem - х mitsnepet (H4701)], rather, 'the mitre' of the holy priest (Exodus 28:4; Zechariah 3:5). His priestly emblem as representative of the priestly people. This, as well as "the crown, " the emblem of the kingdom, were to be removed, until they should be restored and united in the Mediator. Messiah (Psalms 110:2; Psalms 110:4; Zechariah 6:13). (Fairbairn.) Since, however the king, Zedekiah, alone, not the high priest also, is referred to in the context, the English version is supported by Gesenius.
This shall not be the same - the diadem shall not be as it was (Rosenmuller). Nothing shall remain what it was (Fairbairn).
Exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high - not merely the general truth expressed (Proverbs 3:34; Luke 1:52; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5), but specially referring to Messiah and Zedekiah contrasted together. The "tender plant ... out of the dry ground" (Isaiah 53:2) is to be "exalted" in the end (Ezekiel 21:27), the now "high" representative on David's throne, Zedekiah, is to be "abased" The outward relations of things shall be made to change places, in just retaliation on the people for having so perverted the moral relations of things (Hengstenberg).