By your messengers, you have defied the Lord, and have said, “With the multitude of my chariots, I have come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon, and I will cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypress trees; and I will enter into his farthest lodging place, the forest of his fruitful field.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 23. Carmel. A pleasant fruitful hill in the forest. These expressions are figurative, signifying, under the names of mountains and forests, the kings and provinces whom the Assyrians had triumphed over. Challoner.—He must have passed by Libanus, and might boast of this exploit. Other proud words to the same purpose are mentioned Isaiah 10:9 and 33:9. He had made himself master of Mount Carmel, as well as of Libanus. Calmet.