Yirmeyah 22:6

6 For thus saith Hashem unto the Bais Melech Yehudah: Thou art [in grandeur] Gil‘ad unto Me, and the summit of the Levanon; yet surely I will make thee a midbar, and towns which are not inhabited.

Yirmeyah 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.

---

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.

Yirmeyah 22:6 In-Context

4 For if ye carry out this davar indeed, then, shall there enter in by the she’arim (gates) of this Bais, melachim sitting upon the kisse Dovid, riding in chariots and on susim, he, and his avadim, and his people.

5 But if ye will not hear these devarim, I swear a shevuah by Myself, saith Hashem, that this Bais shall become a desolation.

6 For thus saith Hashem unto the Bais Melech Yehudah: Thou art [in grandeur] Gil‘ad unto Me, and the summit of the Levanon; yet surely I will make thee a midbar, and towns which are not inhabited.

7 And I will prepare mashchitim (destroyers) against thee, every ish with his weapons; and they shall cut down thy choice arazim (cedars), and cast them into the eish.

8 And Goyim rabbim shall pass by this city, and they shall say every ish to his re’a (neighbor), Why hath Hashem done thus unto this ir hagedolah (great city)?