ירמיהו, פרק ל״ד, פסוק י״ט

A formal ceremony bound the nation together in a shared commitment, drawing official representatives from every level of leadership and society. The gathering included a distinct division among the regional authorities. The officials appointed over the surrounding cities of Judah stood apart from the leaders who governed Jerusalem itself [רד״ק]. Alongside them were individuals holding high power and authority [מצודת ציון], specifically the king's ministers and the officials serving within the royal palace [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The priests and the general public also joined this massive assembly.

To officially seal their agreement, the participants engaged in a stark physical ritual. They walked directly between the severed halves of a calf, an act meant to confirm their absolute commitment to the pact [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

However, this deep involvement carried a devastating consequence. Because these leaders and priests took part in such a binding act, their ultimate fate is sealed. They are destined to fall into the hands of their enemies, and their bodies will be cast out to be consumed by the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the earth [צאינה וראינה].