13 Heb “Gilead you are to me, the height of Lebanon, but I will surely make you a wilderness [with] cities uninhabited.” The points of comparison are made explicit in the translation for the sake of clarity. See the study note for further explanation. For the use of the preposition לְ (lamed) = “in my eyes/in my opinion” see 513 לְ 5.a(d) and compare Jonah 3:3; Esth 10:3. For the use of the particles אִם לֹא (’im lo’) to introduce an emphatic oath see 50 אִם 1.b(2). Lebanon was well known for its cedars and the palace (and the temple) had used a good deal of such timber in its construction (see 1 Kgs 5:6, 8–10; 7:2–3). In this section several references are made to cedar (see vv. 7, 14, 15, 23) and allusion has also been made to the paneled and colonnade armory of the Forest of Lebanon (2:14). It appears to have been a source of pride and luxury, perhaps at the expense of justice. Gilead was also noted in antiquity for its forests as well as for its fertile pastures.
14 Heb “I will sanctify destroyers against it.” If this is not an attenuated use of the term “sanctify” the traditions of Israel’s holy wars are being turned against her. See also 6:4. In Israel’s early wars in the wilderness and in the conquest, the Lord fought for her against the enemies (cf., e.g., Josh 10:11, 14, 42; 24:7; Judg 5:20; 1 Sam 7:10). Now he is going to fight against them (21:5, 13) and use the enemy as his instruments of destruction. For a similar picture of destruction in the temple see the lament in Ps 74:3–7.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For thus says the Lord concerning the house of the king of Judah:

“ ‘You are like Gilead to me,

like the summit of Lebanon,

yet surely I will make you a desert,

an uninhabited city.

I will prepare destroyers against you,

each with his weapons,

and they shall cut down your choicest cedars

and cast them into the fire.

“ ‘And many nations will pass by this city, and every man will say to his neighbor, “Why has the Lord dealt thus with this great city?”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

For this is what the Lord says about the palace of the king of Judah:

“Though you are like Gilead to me,

like the summit of Lebanon,

I will surely make you like a wasteland,

like towns not inhabited.

I will send destroyers against you,

each man with his weapons,

and they will cut up your fine cedar beams

and throw them into the fire.

“People from many nations will pass by this city and will ask one another, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?’

CSBChristian Standard Bible

For this is what the Lord says concerning the house of the king of Judah:

“You are like Gilead to me,

or the summit of Lebanon,

but I will certainly turn you into a wilderness,

uninhabited cities.

I will set apart destroyers against you,

each with his weapons.

They will cut down the choicest of your cedars

and throw them into the fire.

“Many nations will pass by this city and ask one another, ‘Why did the Lord do such a thing to this great city?’

NLTNew Living Translation

Now this is what the Lord says concerning Judah’s royal palace:

“I love you as much as fruitful Gilead

and the green forests of Lebanon.

But I will turn you into a desert,

with no one living within your walls.

I will call for wreckers,

who will bring out their tools to dismantle you.

They will tear out all your fine cedar beams

and throw them on the fire.

“People from many nations will pass by the ruins of this city and say to one another, ‘Why did the Lord destroy such a great city?’

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For thus says Yahweh concerning the house of the king of Judah,

“You are like Gilead to me,

like the head of the Lebanon.

Surely I will make you a desert,

like cities that are not inhabited.

And I will consecrate against you destroyers,

everyone with his weapons,

and they will cut down your choicest cedars,

and cast them on the fire.

And many nations will pass by this city and they will say each one to his neighbor, ‘Why has Yahweh done in this manner to this great city?’

For thus saith the Lord unto the king’s house of Judah; Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited. And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire. And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great city?

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Jeremiah 22:6–8

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