On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it: This line is parallel to the last line of verse 22, but it reverses the order of mountain and plant. The very high mountain in verse 22 is now identified as the mountain height of Israel, which refers to Mount Zion, where Jerusalem was situated. This phrase may be rendered “the highest mountain in Israel” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible; similarly Good News Translation). Translators who try to retain the original order of this line may say “On Israel’s highest mountain, that is where I will plant it.” If they are not able to do this, they can possibly use another structure that is common for poetry in their language. However, many translators will not be able to reflect this at all.

That it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit, and become a noble cedar: God will plant the cedar shoot on Mount Zion so that it can become a large cedar tree bearing fruit. It will grow strongly and well, so that it produces both branches and fruit. In fact, it will grow so well that it will become a noble cedar, that is, “a magnificent cedar” (Good News Translation). New King James Version and New American Bible say “a majestic cedar,” and New International Version has “a splendid cedar.” God’s purpose in planting the cedar shoot on Mount Zion is very similar to the purpose of the eagle when it planted the vine in well-watered, fertile soil (see Ezek 17.8).

And under it will dwell all kinds of beasts; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest: Revised Standard Version follows the Septuagint for its reading here. Instead of all kinds of beasts, the Hebrew has “all the birds.” There is no valid reason to change the Hebrew here since it is clear and no Hebrew manuscripts have the Septuagint reading. These two lines are parallel and very emphatic in Hebrew, which is literally “and will nest/live under it all the birds, every winged creature in the shade of its branches will nest/live.” The cedar tree will grow so large that all kinds of birds will build their nests in the shade of its branches. Although the Hebrew text repeats the same verb in these lines, many translations use different verbs because it sounds better (for example, Good News Translation with “live” and “find shelter,” and New Century Version with “build nests” and “live”). Translators need to follow the discourse requirements of their own languages in making their choices. As in the poetic parallelism of the previous verse, the second line here adds to the first one. In the first line birds of every kind will live or make nests under it [the tree]; the second line further specifies that it is in the shade of its branches where the birds will make nests. Furthermore, as in the previous parallel lines, the order of subject and verb is reversed in Hebrew (see the literal rendering above). Translators may not be able to retain these features of Hebrew poetry and may have to use features from their language. However, one model for these two lines is:

• Under that tree all kinds of birds will be living;
yes, in the shade of its branches the birds will make their nests.

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 .