ירמיהו, פרק י״ב, פסוק י״ז

A profound warning is issued to the nations of the world, presenting them with a strict condition that will determine their ultimate fate. If these nations refuse to learn faith in God from the people of Israel [מצודת דוד], they will face an absolute punishment.

The primary approach among commentators is that this resulting exile is a final uprooting. While previous times of exile may have been temporary measures designed to eventually replant a nation, this specific judgment brings complete and eternal ruin. The affected nations will never return to their homeland.

This absolute destruction raises a question when compared to other prophetic visions that promise a future return for certain nations, such as the Ammonites. To resolve this, one explanation is that the promise of returning from exile applies exclusively to those specific individuals among the nations who choose to adopt and learn the ways of Israel. Another perspective suggests that the prophecy of total ruin has simply not yet been fully realized, which explains why those nations have not yet returned to their original places [רד״ק].