ישעיהו, פרק ל״ד, פסוק א׳

A dramatic call echoes across the globe, breaking away from the usual prophetic focus on the Israelites or the land of Judah. Instead, a supreme decree from God is directed toward all the nations of the world, specifically addressing the kingdoms that oppressed the Israelites during their exile [אברבנאל]. This sweeping judgment focuses on the future downfall of Edom and other kingdoms, serving as a prelude to the ultimate and final salvation of the Israelites, after which they will never face exile again [רד״ק]. Alternatively, this judgment can be understood as an event that has already taken place in history. In this view, Edom was destroyed by the Babylonian king shortly after the fall of Jerusalem. This served as a direct punishment for standing by, assisting the Babylonians, and celebrating the ruin of the Israelites [שד״ל].

To emphasize the sheer scale of this judgment, the call encompasses all of humanity, regardless of status. A distinction is drawn between common nations lacking an organized religion and more prominent nations defined by established faiths. Typically, a more respectful summons is directed at the important nations, while a simpler command to listen is given to the common ones. However, in this divine call, the approaches are deliberately mixed. This blending shows that before God's judgment, social and religious hierarchies disappear. Every nation is equally guilty, and all will be judged together on the exact same level [מלבי״ם].

The physical scope of the decree is just as absolute, covering both the uninhabited, wild parts of the globe and the settled, civilized regions [אבן עזרא, מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם]. In the natural world, a disaster usually strikes populated cities first before gradually spreading out into the empty wilderness. Yet, the order of this destruction is reversed. The wild earth is called upon before the inhabited world, showing that God's decree will not be a slow, spreading wave. Instead, it will strike the entire planet and all its inhabitants simultaneously [מלבי״ם].

Finally, the judgment extends to absolutely everything that fills the planet [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא]. It encompasses all the offspring of the earth, including every plant, animal, and human being. These creations are grouped together because they are all born upon the earth and were originally formed from the very ground that is now being called to judgment [שד״ל, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].