ירמיהו, פרק מ״ו, פסוק י״ב

A total military collapse brings about a chaotic panic where sheer strength suddenly becomes a deadly obstacle. The mighty forces of Egypt face a profound humiliation as they are defeated and delivered completely into the hands of the Babylonian empire [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון]. This deep disgrace is accompanied by the frantic shrieks of the fleeing soldiers [רד״ק, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ], whose cries echo everywhere as they scatter blindly in all directions [מצודת דוד].

The primary approach among commentators is that during this desperate retreat from the battlefield, even the most elite and powerful Egyptian warriors completely lose their composure. Their terrified flight causes them to collide and trip over one another. A vivid picture of this chain reaction is provided by [רד״ק]. Driven by sheer panic and running at a breakneck speed, a warrior loses his footing from the sheer force of his sprint and collapses. The soldier running immediately behind him has no time to stop, tripping over the fallen body in his path and crashing down on top of him.

This results in a tragic situation on the battlefield. Instead of protecting or rescuing one another, the soldiers become the cause of their own destruction. Their blind panic turns them into obstacles for their brothers in arms, ensuring that both fall and perish together [מצודת דוד, רד״ק].