Jeremiah 22:23

Jeremiah 22:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)O inhabitant of Lebanon, that makest thy nest in the cedars, how gracious shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee, the pain as of a woman in travail!
• New International Version (NIV)You who live in ‘Lebanon,’ who are nestled in cedar buildings, how you will groan when pangs come upon you, pain like that of a woman in labor!
• English Standard Version (ESV)O inhabitant of Lebanon, nested among the cedars, how you will be pitied when pangs come upon you, pain as of a woman in labor!"
• New King James Version (NKJV)O inhabitant of Lebanon, Making your nest in the cedars, How gracious will you be when pangs come upon you, Like the pain of a woman in labor?

Context of Jeremiah 22:23

21I spoke to you in your [times of] prosperity, But you said, ‘I will not listen!’ This has been your attitude and practice from your youth; You have not obeyed My voice. 22The wind [of adversity] will carry away all your shepherds (rulers, statesmen), And your lovers (allies) will go into exile. Surely then you will be ashamed and humiliated and disgraced Because of all your wickedness. O inhabitant of [Jerusalem, whose palaces are made from the cedars of] Lebanon, You who nest in the cedars, How you will groan and how miserable you will be when pains come on you, Pain like a woman in childbirth! 24“As I live,” says the Lord, “though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet [ring] on My right hand, yet would I pull you (Coniah) off. 25And I will place you in the hand of those who seek your life and in the hand of those whom you fear, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of the Chaldeans.

Jeremiah 22:23 word by word

יֹשַׁבְתְּ֙ בַּלְּבָנ֔וֹן מְקֻנַּ֖נְתְּ בָּֽאֲרָזִ֑ים מַה־נֵּחַנְתְּ֙ בְּבֹא־לָ֣ךְ חֲבָלִ֔ים חִ֖יל כַּיֹּלֵדָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• O inhabitantיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• of Lebanonלְבָנוֹןlebânôn · LebanonH3844
• that makest thy nestקִנֵּןqânan · to make a nestH7077
• in the cedarsאֶ֫רֶז'erez · cedarH730
• how graciousחָנַןchânan · be graciousH2603
• shalt thou be when pangsחֵ֫בֶלchebel chêbel · painH2256
• comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• upon thee, the painחִילchîyl chîylâh · agonyH2427
• as of a woman in travailיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205

Cross-references for Jeremiah 22:23

• Jeremiah 22:6For thus says the Lord in regard to the house of the king of Judah: “You are [as valuable] to Me as [the green pastures of] Gilead [east of the Jordan] Or as the [plentiful] summit of Lebanon [west of the Jordan], Yet most certainly [if you will not listen to Me] I will make you a wilderness, And uninhabited cities.
• Zechariah 11:1Open your doors, O Lebanon, That fire may devour your cedars.
• Jeremiah 21:13“Understand this, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, O rock of the plain,” says the Lord— “You who say, ‘Who will come down against us? Or who will enter into our dwelling places?’
• Jeremiah 48:28You inhabitants of Moab, Leave the cities and live among the rocks, And be like the dove that makes her nest In the walls of the yawning ravine.
• Jeremiah 49:16As for Your terror, The pride and arrogance of your heart have deceived you, O you who live in the clefts of the rock (Sela also called Petra), Who hold and occupy the height of the hill. Though you make your nest as high as the eagle’s, I will bring you down from there,” says the Lord.
• Numbers 24:21And Balaam looked at the Kenites and took up his [sixth] discourse (oracle) and said: “Strong is your dwelling place, And you set your nest in the cliff.
• Amos 9:2Though they dig into Sheol [to hide in the deepest pit], From there My hand will take them [for judgment]; And though they climb up to heaven [to hide in the realm of light], From there will I bring them down [for judgment].
• Obadiah 1:4Though you build [your nest] on high like the eagle, Though you set your nest among the stars, I will bring you down from there,” says the Lord.
• Habakkuk 2:9“Woe (judgment is coming) to him who obtains wicked gain for his house [and thinks by so doing] To set his nest on high, That he may be rescued from the hand of evil.
• Jeremiah 3:21A voice is heard on the barren heights, The weeping and pleading of the children of Israel, Because they have lost their way, They have [deliberately] forgotten the Lord their God.
• Jeremiah 4:31For I heard a cry like a woman in labor, The anguish as of one giving birth to her first child, The cry of the Daughter of Zion (Jerusalem), who gasps for breath, Who stretches out her hands, saying, “Woe is me [my judgment comes]! I faint [in fear] before the murderers.”
• Jeremiah 6:24We have heard the report of it; Our hands become limp and helpless. Anguish has gripped us, Pain like that of a woman in childbirth.
• Jeremiah 30:5“Thus says the Lord, ‘We have heard a terrified voice Of panic and dread, and there is no peace.
• Jeremiah 50:4“In those days and at that time,” says the Lord, “the children of Israel will come, they and the children of Judah together; they will come up weeping [in repentance] as they come and seek the Lord their God [inquiring for and of Him].
• Hosea 5:15I will go away and return to My place [on high] Until they acknowledge their offense and bear their guilt and seek My face; In their distress they will earnestly seek Me, saying,
• Hosea 6:1“Come and let us return [in repentance] to the Lord, For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 22:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23How gracious shalt thou be - A strong irony.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Lebanon is the usual metaphor for anything splendid. and is here put for Jerusalem, but with special reference to the kings whose pride it was to dwell in palaces roofed with cedar Jeremiah 22:14. How gracious shalt thou be - Or, How wilt thou groan!Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-30Verses 20-30 The Jewish state is described under a threefold character. Very haughty in a day of peace and safety. Very fearful on alarm of trouble. Very much cast down under pressure of trouble. Many never are ashamed of their sins till brought by them to the last extremity. The king shall close his days in bondage. Those that think themselves as signets on God's right hand, must not be secure, but fear lest they should be plucked thence. The Jewish king…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-23God judged Jehoiakim for his terrible sins. Neither his family nor his people would mourn him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. inhabitant of Lebanon--namely, Jerusalem, whose temple, palaces, and principal habitations were built of cedars of Lebanon. how gracious--irony. How graciously thou wilt be treated by the Chaldees, when they come on thee suddenly, as pangs on a woman in travail (Jr 6:24)! Nay, all thy fine buildings will win no favor for thee from them. Maurer translates, "How shalt thou be to be pitied!"Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 22:23

• Afflictions and Adversities

In the dictionaries

• Lebanon
• Jeremiah (2)
• Pain
• Uriah; Uruah

Commentaries on Jeremiah 22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings