ירמיהו, פרק ל״ח, פסוק י״ח

A dire prophecy confronts the king with the harsh reality of what will unfold if he refuses to surrender [מלבי״ם]. Should he choose not to turn himself over to the Babylonian officers, the ongoing siege will inevitably break the city's defenses. The ultimate consequence of this resistance will be total destruction. The city will be set ablaze, and within that inferno, the Temple itself will burn alongside it, a certain tragedy even if left unsaid.

Beyond the ruin of the city, a deeply personal warning is directed at the king. He might harbor hopes of finding a secret escape route to save his own life in the ensuing chaos. However, the message makes it absolutely clear that any attempt to flee will fail; he will not escape their grasp [ביאור שטיינזלץ].