Zechariah 11:1
“Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A summons to Lebanon to fling open its gates as fire comes to consume its famous cedars, opening a lament over coming judgment.
What Does Zechariah 11:1 Mean?
After the bright promises of the previous chapters, the prophet turns to a stark dirge. He addresses Lebanon, whose towering cedars were the proudest timber of the ancient world, used to build palaces and the temple itself. The command to open its doors is bitterly ironic: the land is told to welcome the very fire that will destroy it.
Towering strength offers no shelter when judgment arrives. The tallest cedar burns as readily as the lowest brush, and what people trust in for security can become the kindling of their loss. The passage calls the reader to set hope not on height or grandeur but on the Lord, whose word stands when every proud thing falls.
In the Original Language
erez (אֶרֶז), 'cedar' -- the prized timber of Lebanon, a standing emblem of lofty strength.