עמוס, פרק ו׳, פסוק ט׳

The impending destruction will be absolute and inescapable. A person might survive one terrifying disaster, only to meet a tragic end shortly after. Even if a large group manages to survive the initial wave of danger, they will not find lasting safety. A group of ten people does not necessarily represent a strict number, but rather serves as an example of a large, complete unit, such as a father and his nine sons [אבן עזרא, רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. Though they manage to stay alive and escape the immediate threat [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ], their fate is already sealed.

Commentators offer different perspectives on exactly how these survivors will ultimately meet their end while seeking refuge. One approach suggests that after surviving war and disease, the group will hide inside a house to escape the invading army. However, once the enemy captures the city, the soldiers will burn the houses to the ground, ensuring that everyone inside perishes without a single survivor remaining [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. Alternatively, another perspective explains that those who successfully flee from the enemy's weapons and hide together will face a different disaster. While concealed indoors, they will be struck down by a severe plague that sweeps through the city, or they will be crushed as the structure of the house collapses on top of them [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם].