ישעיהו, פרק י׳, פסוק ל״א

The terror of an approaching enemy sweeps through the region, forcing local residents to abandon their homes and desperately seek shelter. The primary approach among commentators understands the unfolding events as a description of specific geographical locations from which the people fled. In contrast, the Sages in the Midrash view this sequence as an outline of the various stages of the enemy's advancing journey [רש״י].

One of the affected communities is Madmenah, whose residents are forced to wander and flee from their homes. The exact identity of this city is a matter of discussion. Some suggest it is a Moabite city, while others identify it with a Judean city mentioned earlier in the biblical record, despite minor differences in how the name is traditionally pronounced [רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. Another location is Gebim, a city that does not appear anywhere else in the Bible [מלבי״ם, רד״ק]. Its unique name likely hints at its physical landscape, possibly indicating the presence of water pools [שד״ל] or water cisterns [אבן עזרא].

Facing imminent danger, the residents take urgent action. The primary approach among commentators is that they gathered and assembled together in preparation for their escape. This response is widely understood as the urgent collection of flocks and personal property into a place of shelter, recalling the warning given to the Egyptians to bring their livestock indoors before the plague of hail. Other perspectives offer slight variations on this defensive strategy. Some explain that the residents actively smuggled themselves away or assisted in hiding their fellow Israelites [אבן עזרא]. Alternatively, the action may imply seeking a stronghold, suggesting that the people gathered and concealed themselves together within the walls of a protected fortress [שד״ל].