מלכים ב, פרק כ״ה, פסוק י״א

The destruction of Jerusalem reaches its final, devastating stages with the mass exile of the Judeans who managed to survive the war. The forced deportation encompasses a wide spectrum of the population, affecting those who endured the siege, those who surrendered early, and those living in the surrounding countryside.

The first group taken into captivity consists of the individuals who remained trapped inside Jerusalem throughout the agonizing military blockade and somehow escaped death [מצודת דוד].

In stark contrast are those who took a different path to survival. Long before the city walls were breached, these individuals took the initiative to abandon Jerusalem and surrender themselves directly to the enemy forces, settling among the Chaldeans [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. They actively chose to accept the discipline and authority of the Babylonian king, submitting to his rule rather than fighting to the bitter end [רד״ק].

Finally, the deportation extends beyond the capital to include the great masses of the general population [מצודת ציון]. While the previous groups were residents of Jerusalem itself, this final wave of exiles is made up of all the people scattered throughout the remaining towns and cities of Judah [מצודת דוד].