King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon held a level of absolute, unchecked authority that was rarely seen in human history. This immense greatness was granted to him directly by God, causing all nations, peoples, and languages to live in profound fear of him. Their reaction was not just basic fear, but a deep, physical trembling and shaking [מצודת ציון, אבן עזרא].
Most rulers share their control with advisors and ministers, but Nebuchadnezzar's authority was entirely unlimited. Every decision depended solely on his personal will, with all power concentrated entirely in his own hands [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. He simply did whatever he pleased [רש״י]. This absolute control was most visible in matters of life, death, and social standing. He executed anyone he wished. The primary approach among commentators is that he also physically struck or punished whomever he chose [מצודת דוד, יוסף אבן יחיא, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, another perspective suggests his power was over life itself, meaning he chose to keep alive whoever he wanted, serving as a direct contrast to those he decided to kill [רש״י]. Beyond life and death, he held complete control over people's status, elevating or humbling individuals purely based on his own desires.
This level of indiscriminate power raises a difficult question: How was a human king permitted to kill so freely, even harming God's devoted servants? The explanation lies in the fact that God granted him this greatness specifically so he could serve as an instrument of divine anger. When a destructive force is given permission to act, it does not distinguish between the righteous and the wicked. Additionally, the strict measure of divine justice was actively brought against the righteous people of that generation. They were expected to protest against the wrongdoers of their time, and because they failed to do so, they were also destined to suffer harm. Therefore, at that specific time, Nebuchadnezzar was not held guilty for these killings, as he was merely operating within the boundaries of the power and permission granted to him from Heaven to punish the nation [אלשיך].