זכריה, פרק י״א, פסוק א׳

A dramatic vision of fire and destruction unfolds, though the true target of this devastation is deeply debated. The primary approach among commentators views this as a harsh prophecy regarding the destruction of the Second Temple and the fall of the Hasmonean kingdom [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, רד״ק]. In this context, the name Lebanon serves as a title for the entire Land of Israel [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל] or specifically represents the Temple itself [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. A tragic command is given to unlock the gates of the land or the sanctuary, allowing enemy forces and Roman legions to pour inside. The ensuing fire that consumes the cedars illustrates the devastation. These cedars represent either the literal burning of the Temple's physical structure [מלבי״ם] or serve as a metaphor for the tragic loss of Israel's leaders and princes, who are compared to towering forest trees [מצודת דוד].

In stark contrast, another school of thought interprets the vision not as the ruin of Israel, but as the total destruction of the world's nations. Relying on ancient traditions, Lebanon is understood as a reference to foreign powers [רש״י, רד״ק, אברבנאל]. This may point historically to the collapse of the Babylonian Empire [רד״ק], or look forward to an ultimate reckoning at the end of days [אברבנאל]. According to this perspective, God will gather the foreign empires that once dominated Israel into the land—referred to here as Lebanon—to execute judgment and take revenge upon them. The burning cedars symbolize the mighty kings of the world who will arrive to wage war, only to be entirely consumed.

Alongside these symbolic interpretations, a literal reading grounds the imagery in the physical world. In this view, the prophecy speaks directly of the actual forest of Lebanon, with the doors representing the natural entryways into the woods that are destined to be engulfed in flames [ביאור שטיינזלץ].