ירמיהו, פרק ל״ט, פסוק א׳

The ongoing story of Jeremiah's life comes to a sudden halt, replaced by a brief historical account detailing the final days of the Kingdom of Judah and the beginning of the siege on Jerusalem [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. While the destruction of the city and the tragic fate of King Zedekiah are recorded elsewhere in the Bible, these events are highlighted here for a specific reason. They reveal how every harsh prophecy Jeremiah delivered concerning the city, its king, and the people was fulfilled completely and with absolute precision [אברבנאל, מלבי״ם].

The devastating blockade began in the tenth month, the month of Tevet [אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Regarding the arrival of the King of Babylon, it is understood that he did not necessarily stand at the gates of Jerusalem at that exact moment. Rather, his military commander acted strictly under his orders and in his name, allowing the arrival of the forces to be attributed directly to the king himself [אברבנאל]. To trap and pressure the inhabitants, the Babylonian army completely surrounded the city [מצודת ציון] and constructed a formidable siege wall [מלבי״ם].

The ultimate conquest of the city was a grueling, prolonged process. Although the siege began in Tevet and the city walls were finally breached in Tammuz, the Babylonian forces did not actually enter Jerusalem until the month of Av. This delay occurred because the Jewish defenders fought fiercely over the breach in the walls for an entire month, holding back the invading army until starvation finally broke their resistance [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל].