ירמיהו, פרק מ״ג, פסוק י״ב

Nebuchadnezzar's military campaign in Egypt is an absolute, unrestrained wave of destruction and systematic looting that targets both the wealth of the nation and its local deities. The invasion involves a dual action against the Egyptian gods, combining burning with taking captive. This raises a practical question of how an object of worship can be both burned and carried away. One explanation is that the Babylonian king will set fire to the wooden idols while taking the silver and gold statues back to Babylon as spoils of war [מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. Alternatively, the destruction by fire will be aimed at the temples themselves, while the captivity refers to the human worshippers who will be taken as prisoners [רד״ק].

The taking of Egypt's wealth is compared to the act of wrapping oneself in a garment. This imagery conveys how easily and completely Nebuchadnezzar will gather the riches, gaining absolute control over the spoils just as a person masters the clothes they wear [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The specific comparison to a shepherd wrapping his cloak completes this picture of total plunder, offering two distinct but related ideas. The primary approach among commentators views this as a picture of packing up to move. Just as a wandering shepherd gathers every single item he owns, bundles them into his cloak or tent fabric, and throws the pack over his shoulder leaving absolutely nothing behind, the Babylonian king will completely empty Egypt of its wealth [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רד ק בשם אביו, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another perspective focuses on the tightness of the wrap. A shepherd standing in the desert wraps his cloak tightly around himself to keep out the cold. This firm embrace represents the king's unyielding and absolute grip on the Egyptian spoils [רד״ק].

Ultimately, the campaign concludes with a peaceful departure. This successful exit means that Nebuchadnezzar will march out of the ruined country completely undisturbed. The Egyptians will be utterly powerless to resist his departure or to reclaim their stolen riches [מצודת דוד].