ירמיהו, פרק מ״ו, פסוק י״ט

A sudden and dramatic shift in destiny awaits the Egyptian nation. After living in a state of comfort and assumed permanence, the people are confronted with the harsh reality of their impending uprooting and the destruction of their major cities.

To make this approaching expulsion real to them, the prophecy instructs the people to prepare basic travel gear for a long journey into exile. When individuals or nations are forced to wander, they must gather essential supplies. This includes drinking vessels such as water skins and clay jugs [רש״י], as well as tools for kneading dough [מצודת דוד]. By directly addressing the nation as one who dwells securely, a sharp contrast is drawn. A society that felt completely safe and believed it would remain in its homeland indefinitely is suddenly forced to pack its belongings for exile [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Offering a different perspective, [אהבת יהונתן] connects the concept of exile with the merit of experiencing miracles. He notes that just as mountains like Tabor and Carmel were uprooted from their places and thereby merited miracles, a similar dynamic is at play here, hinting at the altar established to God in Egypt. In this view, the very state of being uprooted and sent into exile creates the spiritual merit necessary for miracles to occur.

The underlying reason for this forced migration is the total collapse of their urban centers, specifically the city of Noph. This city is singled out because it served as a vital royal capital and a center of Egyptian power [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Following the expulsion of its residents, this once-great city will be reduced to an empty wasteland [מצודות]. The primary approach among commentators is that the area will face complete ruin and abandonment. Some understand this devastation to mean the land will physically transform into a dry, parched desert [רש״י, מצודת ציון]. Others take the warning more literally, explaining that the city will simply be utterly destroyed and left completely empty, without a single inhabitant remaining [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].