Go up to Lebanon, and cry
These words are directed to Jerusalem and its inhabitants, and to
the people of the Jews; not to go up to the temple, as the Targum
interprets it, so called, because made of the wood of Lebanon, as
in ( Zechariah 11:1 ) ; or,
as the Rabbins say, because it made white the sins of Israel; but
the mountain of Lebanon, and from thence call to their neighbours
for help in their present distress, as the Assyrians and
Egyptians; and lift up thy voice in Bashan;
another high hill in the land of Israel. The Targum interprets
this also of the gates of the mountain of the house; so called,
as Jarchi thinks, because made of the oaks of Bashan; or, as
Kimchi, because there were beasts continually there for
sacrifice, as in Bashan, a pasture for cattle; but the mountain
itself is intended; and cry from the passages;
or "from Abarim"; a mountain of this name on the borders of Moab,
( Numbers
27:12 ) . Now these several high mountains are named, because
from hence they might look around them, and call to their
neighbours, if any of them could help them: it is ironically
spoken, for it is suggested that none of them could: for
all thy lovers are destroyed;
their friends and allies, with whom they had not only entered
into leagues, but had committed spiritual fornication with them;
that is, idolatry, as the Egyptians and Assyrians; but these were
now subdued by Nebuchadnezzar, and were at least so weakened and
destroyed by him, that they could give no assistance to the Jews;
see ( 2 Kings
24:7 ) .
Jeremiah 22:20
