Jeremiah 22:23

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!

KJV (with Strong's)

O inhabitant {H3427} of Lebanon {H3844}, that makest thy nest {H7077} in the cedars {H730}, how gracious {H2603} shalt thou be when pangs {H2256} come {H935} upon thee, the pain {H2427} as of a woman in travail {H3205}!

Complete Jewish Bible

You who live in the L'vanon, nesting in the cedars, how gracious will you be when pains come on you like a woman in labor?

Berean Standard Bible

O inhabitant of Lebanon, nestled in the cedars, how you will groan when pangs of anguish come upon you, agony like a woman in labor.”

American Standard Version

O inhabitant of Lebanon, that makest thy nest in the cedars, how greatly to be pitied shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee, the pain as of a woman in travail!

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 22:23 delivers a scathing prophetic indictment against the arrogant and self-sufficient rulers of Judah, particularly King Jehoiakim, who built lavish palaces and trusted in their earthly power and wealth, symbolized by the cedars of Lebanon. The verse vividly portrays a dramatic reversal of fortune, predicting a sudden and excruciating judgment that will strip away their perceived security, likening the inescapable pain to the agony of a woman in childbirth. It serves as a stark warning against pride and reliance on worldly might rather than on the Lord.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within a series of oracles against the kings of Judah in [Jeremiah chapter 22](/jeremiah/22 "Jeremiah 22 - Oracles Against the Kings"). Jeremiah's prophetic ministry consistently challenged the prevailing political and spiritual complacency of his time, warning of impending divine judgment due to the nation's covenant unfaithfulness. Specifically, [Jeremiah 22:13-19](/jeremiah/22-13 "Jeremiah 22:13-19 - Judgment on Jehoiakim") directly condemns King Jehoiakim for his oppressive building practices, his injustice, and his luxurious lifestyle, contrasting it sharply with the righteous reign of his father, Josiah. Verse 23, therefore, serves as a climactic pronouncement of the inevitable and severe consequences for such arrogant defiance of God's law and prophetic warnings. It immediately precedes the oracle against Coniah (Jehoiachin) in [Jeremiah 22:24-30](/jeremiah/22-24 "Jeremiah 22:24-30 - Oracle Against Coniah/Jehoiachin"), further emphasizing the consistent pattern of royal failure and divine judgment.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Jeremiah prophesied during the tumultuous late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, a period marked by the decline of Assyrian power, the rise of Babylon, and the final decades of the Kingdom of Judah before its exile. King Jehoiakim (609-598 BCE) was a vassal of Egypt, then Babylon, and was notorious for his tyrannical rule, heavy taxation, and forced labor to fund his extravagant building projects, including a new palace. The "cedars of Lebanon" (mentioned also in [1 Kings 5:6](/1_kings/5-6 "1 Kings 5:6 - Solomon's Use of Cedars") and [Isaiah 14:8](/isaiah/14-8 "Isaiah 14:8 - Cedars of Lebanon as a Symbol of Pride")) were highly prized, expensive timber imported from Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon), symbolizing immense wealth, power, and national pride. To "make one's nest in the cedars" was an idiom for establishing a seemingly impregnable and luxurious dwelling, reflecting a false sense of security derived from material possessions and human strength rather than divine protection. The metaphor of "pangs as of a woman in travail" was a common biblical image (e.g., [Isaiah 13:8](/isaiah/13-8 "Isaiah 13:8 - Birth Pangs as Judgment Imagery") and [Hosea 13:13](/hosea/13-13 "Hosea 13:13 - Birth Pangs and Ephraim's Folly")) to describe sudden, unavoidable, and intense suffering, often associated with divine judgment or the "Day of the Lord."

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Jeremiah and the prophetic tradition. It underscores the theme of **Divine Judgment and Retribution**, demonstrating God's unwavering justice against those who oppress the vulnerable and defy His commands, especially those in positions of power. It highlights the **Futility of False Security and Worldly Pride**, illustrating that reliance on material wealth, political alliances, or military might (symbolized by the cedar palace) offers no true refuge from God's wrath. The imagery of the "nest in the cedars" is a direct challenge to the human tendency to build self-sufficient kingdoms apart from God. Furthermore, it emphasizes the **Severity and Inescapability of Consequence**, using the metaphor of birth pangs to convey the intense, unavoidable, and agonizing nature of the impending national catastrophe for Judah, which would culminate in the Babylonian exile (as described in [Jeremiah 25:8-11](/jeremiah/25-8 "Jeremiah 25:8-11 - Seventy Years of Exile")). The verse also implicitly touches upon the theme of **Prophetic Warning and Call to Repentance**, as Jeremiah's entire ministry was a plea for Judah to turn back to God before it was too late.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Inhabitant (Hebrew, _yâshab'_):** From H3427, meaning "to sit down," "to dwell," "to remain," or "to settle." In this context, it refers to the one who comfortably resides or is established in a place. The prophet uses it sarcastically to address the king, highlighting his perceived security and permanence in his lavish, cedar-built palace, which Jeremiah then immediately undermines.
* **Gracious (Hebrew, _chânan'_):** From H2603, a primitive root meaning "to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; causatively to implore (i.e., move to favor by petition)." Here, the rhetorical question "how gracious shalt thou be" is a profound expression of divine sarcasm. It does not imply that the king will be merciful or favored, but rather the exact opposite: "How utterly pitiable, helpless, or miserable you will be!" It signifies a complete reversal of his current privileged status to one of abject humiliation and suffering, devoid of any favor or mercy.
* **Travail (Hebrew, _yâlad'_):** From H3205, a primitive root meaning "to bear young," "to beget," or "to act as midwife." In the phrase "pain as of a woman in travail," this word specifically points to the intense, unavoidable, and agonizing pain of childbirth. It is a powerful and frequently used biblical metaphor to describe sudden, overwhelming, and inescapable distress, often associated with divine judgment or the "Day of the Lord." The pain is not only severe but also a process that must run its full course, leading to an inevitable outcome.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"O inhabitant of Lebanon, that makest thy nest in the cedars,"**: This opening clause is a direct, metaphorical address to King Jehoiakim and, by extension, the proud elite of Judah. "Lebanon" and "cedars" symbolize immense wealth, strength, and luxury, as these costly materials were used in royal construction. To "make thy nest" in them implies a sense of impregnable security and comfort, built on human ingenuity and material possessions rather than divine favor. It highlights the king's arrogance and self-reliance, contrasting his earthly grandeur with his spiritual bankruptcy.
* **"how gracious shalt thou be"**: This is a rhetorical question laden with bitter irony and sarcasm. The Hebrew word for "gracious" (חָנַן, _chanan_) typically refers to receiving or showing favor. Here, it is used antithetically. The prophet is not suggesting the king will be favored or show grace, but rather, "How utterly helpless, how devoid of favor, how pitiful will you be!" It underscores the complete reversal of fortune and the stripping away of all perceived privilege and security when judgment arrives.
* **"when pangs come upon thee,"**: This introduces the inevitability and nature of the impending judgment. "Pangs" (חֶבֶל, _chebel_) can refer to ropes (binding, inescapable) or birth pains (sudden, severe, unavoidable). The coming distress is depicted as a binding, inescapable force that will seize the king, bringing intense suffering. It signifies the onset of a painful, unavoidable process of divine reckoning.
* **"the pain as of a woman in travail!"**: This vivid simile intensifies the description of the "pangs." The pain of a woman in childbirth is universally understood as excruciating, overwhelming, and something that must be endured until its completion. It conveys the suddenness, severity, and inescapable nature of the coming national catastrophe for Judah, which will be agonizing and lead to a new, painful reality (the exile). The king, who enjoyed luxury, will experience the most primal and intense form of suffering.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 22:23 is rich in **Imagery** and **Metaphor**, primarily through the depiction of the "inhabitant of Lebanon" making a "nest in the cedars." This creates a powerful visual of a king (Jehoiakim) who has built a luxurious, seemingly secure dwelling from the most expensive materials, symbolizing his pride, opulence, and false sense of invulnerability. The "nest" suggests a cozy, safe, and established home, which the prophecy then shatters. The phrase "how gracious shalt thou be" employs biting **Sarcasm** and **Irony**, as the prophet uses a word associated with favor and mercy to convey the absolute opposite – utter helplessness and a complete lack of divine favor. This rhetorical question serves to highlight the dramatic reversal of the king's fortunes. The most striking device is the **Simile** comparing the coming judgment to "the pain as of a woman in travail." This is a powerful and common biblical **Idiom** for unavoidable, intense, and overwhelming suffering, emphasizing the severity, suddenness, and inescapable nature of God's judgment upon the proud and unrighteous king. The cumulative effect of these devices is to convey a message of inevitable, agonizing, and humiliating divine retribution.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 22:23 stands as a profound theological statement on divine justice and the futility of human pride. It asserts God's sovereignty over human kingdoms, demonstrating that no amount of worldly power, wealth, or perceived security can withstand His righteous judgment. The king's reliance on the physical strength and beauty of cedars, rather than the spiritual strength of covenant faithfulness, is exposed as a fatal flaw. The "pangs" signify a divinely orchestrated reckoning, a painful but necessary process to bring about justice and to humble the proud. This passage underscores the biblical principle that true security and blessing come from obedience and trust in God, not from material possessions or self-exaltation.

* [Proverbs 16:18](/proverbs/16-18 "Proverbs 16:18 - Pride Before a Fall")
* [Isaiah 2:12-17](/isaiah/2-12 "Isaiah 2:12-17 - The Day of the Lord Against Pride")
* [Luke 12:16-21](/luke/12-16 "Luke 12:16-21 - The Parable of the Rich Fool")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 22:23 serves as a timeless mirror, reflecting the human tendency to seek security and significance in external things—wealth, status, power, or even physical comfort—rather than in a humble dependence on God. It challenges us to examine where we build our "nests." Do we invest our primary efforts and trust in accumulating possessions, building impressive careers, or cultivating a comfortable lifestyle, believing these will shield us from life's inevitable "pangs"? The prophet's sarcastic question, "how gracious shalt thou be," forces us to confront the fragility of such worldly foundations. When the inevitable trials, losses, or judgments of life come, what will be our true source of strength and comfort? This verse calls us to cultivate humility, practice justice, and place our ultimate trust in the Lord, recognizing that true peace and security are found only in Him, not in the fleeting grandeur of this world. It is a powerful reminder that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, and that genuine flourishing comes from aligning our lives with His righteous character.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **Where do I tend to "make my nest" for security and comfort in life? Is it in material possessions, social status, professional achievements, or something else?**
* **In what ways might I be prone to pride or self-sufficiency, trusting in my own abilities or resources more than in God?**
* **How do I respond when "pangs" or difficult circumstances come into my life? Do I find myself helpless, or do I have a deeper source of strength and hope?**
* **What practical steps can I take to cultivate a greater sense of humility and dependence on God in my daily life?**

### FAQ
**What is the significance of "Lebanon" and "cedars" in this verse?**

Answer: "Lebanon" and "cedars" are highly symbolic. In ancient Israel, cedars from Lebanon were renowned for their strength, beauty, and durability, making them extremely valuable and expensive building materials. They were used for grand structures like Solomon's Temple and royal palaces (e.g., [1 Kings 6:9-10](/1_kings/6-9 "1 Kings 6:9-10 - Solomon's Temple Construction")). Therefore, "making one's nest in the cedars of Lebanon" signifies immense wealth, luxury, power, and a perceived impregnable security. It represents the king's (Jehoiakim's) arrogant reliance on his opulent, self-made kingdom and material possessions, contrasting sharply with the true source of security, which is God. The imagery highlights the king's pride and the futility of trusting in worldly grandeur.

**Why is the pain compared to "a woman in travail"?**

Answer: The comparison to "a woman in travail" (childbirth) is a common and powerful biblical metaphor used to describe intense, unavoidable, and overwhelming distress. It conveys several layers of meaning:
1. **Suddenness:** Labor pains often come suddenly and unexpectedly.
2. **Severity:** The pain is excruciating and all-consuming.
3. **Inevitability:** Once labor begins, it must run its course; there is no escape.
4. **Process:** It's not a single event but a prolonged, agonizing process leading to an outcome.
In Jeremiah 22:23, this metaphor emphasizes the inescapable, agonizing, and humiliating nature of the divine judgment that will befall King Jehoiakim and Judah. Their false sense of security will be shattered by a pain that is both physically and existentially overwhelming. This imagery is also used elsewhere in prophecy to describe the "Day of the Lord" or national calamity (e.g., [Isaiah 13:8](/isaiah/13-8 "Isaiah 13:8 - Birth Pangs of Judgment") and [1 Thessalonians 5:3](/1_thessalonians/5-3 "1 Thessalonians 5:3 - Sudden Destruction Like Birth Pangs")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Jeremiah 22:23 is a specific judgment against a proud king, its core message of the futility of worldly security finds profound fulfillment and reversal in Christ. The "inhabitant of Lebanon" built a nest of cedars, trusting in visible, earthly power that ultimately crumbled. In stark contrast, Jesus, though "the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head" ([Matthew 8:20](/matthew/8-20 "Matthew 8:20 - Jesus' Lack of Earthly Home")), built an eternal kingdom not with cedars, but with humility, self-sacrifice, and divine authority. The "pangs" of judgment that fell upon the unrighteous king foreshadow the ultimate "pangs" of sin and death that humanity faced. Christ, however, willingly endured the ultimate pangs of suffering on the cross ([Isaiah 53:5](/isaiah/53-5 "Isaiah 53:5 - Christ's Suffering for Our Sins")), not for His own sin, but to deliver us from the judgment our pride and sin deserve. He became the true "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")), enduring the pain so that we might receive grace. Thus, the warning to the proud in Jeremiah becomes a testament to the humble, saving work of Christ, who offers a secure "nest"—an eternal dwelling in God's presence—to all who trust not in earthly cedars, but in Him ([John 14:2-3](/john/14-2 "John 14:2-3 - Jesus Prepares a Place")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Jeremiah 6:24

We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, [and] pain, as of a woman in travail.

Jeremiah 4:30

And [when] thou [art] spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; [thy] lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.

Jeremiah 4:31

For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, [and] the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, [that] bewaileth herself, [that] spreadeth her hands, [saying], Woe [is] me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.

Jeremiah 22:6

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.

Zechariah 11:1

¶ Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.

Zechariah 11:2

Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.

Hosea 7:14

And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, [and] they rebel against me.