Jeremiah 22:6

6 For this is what the Lord has said about the family of the king of Judah: You are Gilead to me, and the top of Lebanon: but, truly, I will make you waste, with towns unpeopled.

Jeremiah 22:6 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 22:6

For thus saith the Lord unto the king's house of Judah
That is, to the family of the king of Judah; though it may be rendered, "concerning the house of the king of Judah" ^F26; and so refer to his palace as before: thou [art] Gilead unto me, [and] the head of Lebanon;
or, though like to Gilead (which was a very fruitful country) for wealth, riches, and all kind of valuable things; and like to the top of Mount Lebanon ^F1, being set with tall cedars, for stateliness. So the Targum is,

``although thou art beloved before me more than the sanctuary, which is high upon the top of the mountains:''

or thou shall be as Gilead, and Mount Lebanon, which belonged to the ten tribes of Israel, and are put for the whole kingdom of Israel, which was wasted by the king of Assyria; and in like condition should the royal palace at Jerusalem be, notwithstanding all its riches and grandeur, and so the city and temple likewise; as follows: [yet] surely I will make thee a wilderness, [and] cities [which] are
not inhabited;
though as fruitful as Gilead, yet shall become like a barren desert; and though full of children, courtiers, princes, and nobles, yet shall be like cities quite depopulated: or, "if I do not make thee" ^F2 it is in the form of an oath, as Kimchi and Ben Melech observe; and to be supplied thus, if I do not do as I have said, let me never be believed; let me be reckoned a liar, or not thought to be God, and the like. It shows the certain accomplishment of these things.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 (Klm tyb le) "de domo regis", Cocceius, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F1 (Nwnblh var yl hta delg) "velut Gilead, ut caput Libani", Junius & Tremellius.
F2 (Ktyva al Ma) "si non posuero te", Vatablus, Pagninus, Montanus, Schmidt.

Jeremiah 22:6 In-Context

4 For if you truly do this, then there will come in through the doors of this house kings seated on the seat of David, going in carriages and on horseback, he and his servants and his people

5 But if you do not give ear to these words, I give you my oath by myself, says the Lord, that this house will become a waste.

6 For this is what the Lord has said about the family of the king of Judah: You are Gilead to me, and the top of Lebanon: but, truly, I will make you waste, with towns unpeopled.

7 And I will make ready those who will send destruction on you, everyone armed for war: by them your best cedar-trees will be cut down and put in the fire.

8 And nations from all sides will go past this town, and every man will say to his neighbour, Why has the Lord done such things to this great town?