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.
Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen. If even the cedars (the highest in the state) are not spared, how much less the fir trees (the lowest)!
Howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down - as the vines are stripped of their grapes in the vintage, so the forest of Lebanon "is come down," stripped of all its beauty (Joel 3:13; Revelation 14:2-18
. Rather [ya`ar habaatsuwr], 'the fortified' or 'inaccessible forest' (Maurer) - i:e., Jerusalem, dense with houses as a thick forest is with trees, and 'fortified' with a lofty wall round. Compare Micah 3:12, where its desolate state is described as a forest.