Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen; the majestic trees are ruined! Wail, O oaks of Bashan, for the dense forest has been cut down!
Parallel translations
- WEB Wail, cypress tree, for the cedar has fallen, because the stately ones are destroyed. Wail, you oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest has come down.
- KJV 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.
- NKJV Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, Because the mighty trees are ruined. Wail, O oaks of Bashan, For the thick forest has come down.
- NASB Wail, juniper, because the cedar has fallen, For the magnificent trees have been destroyed; Wail, oaks of Bashan, Because the impenetrable forest has come down.
- NLT Weep, you cypress trees, for all the ruined cedars; the most majestic ones have fallen. Weep, you oaks of Bashan, for the thick forests have been cut down.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The lesser trees are told to wail because the mighty cedar has fallen and the strong forest is brought down. It matters because when the great are humbled, all that depended on them mourns.
Overview
The cypress and oaks of Bashan are called to lament the fall of the cedar and 'the strong forest,' continuing the image of judgment sweeping over the proud. The fall of the greatest brings grief to all the rest, picturing the collapse of a whole order of power. The passage reminds readers that earthly might is fragile and that God alone is the abiding refuge.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Luke 23:31For if men do these things while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
- Ezek 31:2–3“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude: ‘Who can be compared to your greatness?
- Isa 32:15–19until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high. Then the desert will be an orchard, and the orchard will seem like a forest.
- Amos 6:1Woe to those at ease in Zion and those secure on Mount Samaria, the distinguished ones of the foremost nation, to whom the house of Israel comes.
- Isa 10:33–34Behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts will lop off the branches with terrifying power. The tall trees will be cut down, the lofty ones will be felled.
- Ezek 20:46“Son of man, set your face toward the south, preach against it, and prophesy against the forest of the Negev.
- Isa 2:12–17For the Day of the LORD of Hosts will come against all the proud and lofty, against all that is exalted—it will be humbled—
- Ezek 31:17They too descended with it to Sheol, to those slain by the sword. As its allies they had lived in its shade among the nations.
- Nah 3:8–19Are you better than Thebes, stationed by the Nile with water around her, whose rampart was the sea, whose wall was the water?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Branch who is both priest and king, the shepherd struck and the flock scattered, the king coming humble on a donkey, the one they pierced, the fountain opened for sin — Zechariah is dense with Christ.
How Zechariah 11:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.