ירמיהו, פרק ד׳, פסוק ו׳

An urgent alarm sounds across the land, calling the people to escape an approaching, unstoppable threat. To signal this emergency, a tall pole draped with a cloth at its peak is raised high, serving as a warning visible from great distances [מצודת ציון]. This banner signals the people to abandon their current locations and immediately gather in Jerusalem [רש״י, שטיינזלץ]. The signal must be hoisted specifically at the tower of Zion, an elevated point that can be seen from far away [רד״ק]. The choice of Zion is deliberate. The people are warned not to rely on ordinary, smaller fortified cities, as these are too weak to withstand the enemy. Instead, they must escape exclusively to Zion, recognized as a towering and impenetrable fortress [מלבי״ם].

The call to action demands that the people hurry inward to safety. This specific type of gathering echoes the warning given before the plague of hail in Egypt, where people were told to quickly bring their livestock indoors to protect them from the storm [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת ציון]. However, this is not just a standard assembly. It is a targeted retreat into a place of ultimate strength and refuge [מלבי״ם]. The people are urged not to stand still or delay their escape [שטיינזלץ]. They must not pause on their journey to seek shelter in lesser towns, but must push forward directly to Zion without hesitation [מלבי״ם].

The reason for this desperate panic is a massive disaster descending from the north. This northern threat is the Babylonian empire, poised to attack the Land of Israel and bring overwhelming ruin and devastation to the region [מצודת דוד]. Because this military force is so immense, fighting back is completely impossible. The only hope for survival is a rapid, unbroken flight to the strongest available stronghold [מלבי״ם].