ירמיהו, פרק ט״ו, פסוק י״ד

Unrelenting divine anger and forced removal into the unknown stand at the heart of this severe prophecy of destruction. The underlying message serves as a stark warning that no individual will be able to escape the coming judgment.

An ancient tradition reflects a slight variation in the text, suggesting that God will entirely enslave the people to their enemies [רד״ק, מנחת שי, אברבנאל]. However, the accepted reading focuses on a forced movement or transfer rather than direct enslavement [רד״ק, מנחת שי]. Based on this accepted reading, the primary approach among commentators is that the warning addresses the people directly. God will uproot them from their home and force them into exile, transferring them into the hands of their enemies in a completely foreign land.

Conversely, another perspective suggests that the movement described actually refers to the invading armies. In this view, God will lead the enemy forces directly through the Land of Israel, allowing them to penetrate deep into hidden, remote areas that even the local inhabitants never knew existed [אברבנאל]. This movement also serves as a grim warning for the future, extending beyond the initial destruction. Even those who attempt to find safety by fleeing to Egypt will not be spared, as God will direct the enemy forces to follow them there, ensuring that the sword will strike them down once again [מלבי״ם].

The reason for such a severe decree is explained through the vivid imagery of intense, consuming flames [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. God's anger is depicted as a deadly fire poured out upon the people [מצודת דוד]. This divine wrath is not a temporary outburst but an enduring fire that will continue to burn and pursue them long after they have suffered the initial destruction [מלבי״ם].