ירמיהו, פרק מ״ח, פסוק ל״ד

The shattering cries of Moab's ruin echo across vast distances, sweeping through the length and breadth of the land and striking at the very heart of the nation's power and wealth. The wailing begins in Heshbon, the first city to fall to the advancing enemy [מלבי״ם]. From there, the cries are raised with such force that their echoes reach far into the cities of Elealeh and Jahaz. A similar wave of lamentation ripples from Zoar to Horonaim [מצודת דוד, שטיינזלץ], sweeping through what were once the most honored, precious, and magnificent cities in the Moabite kingdom [אברבנאל].

At the center of this widespread mourning is the distinct imagery of a three-year-old heifer. The primary approach among commentators views this as a metaphor for Moab itself. The nation is compared to a strong, prominent, and mature heifer, or perhaps a third-born calf, which is traditionally considered the choicest and highest quality of the herd [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. Others suggest this phrase might simply be the name of a specific location [שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, it may refer to the inner circle of Moab's mighty warriors and elite officers, who are now the ones weeping bitterly throughout these regions [מלבי״ם]. A completely different perspective suggests that the imagery does not point to an animal or a place at all. Instead, it captures the sheer intensity of the mourning, representing a massive, threefold cry over the loss of Moab's most treasured lands [אברבנאל].

The devastation ultimately reaches the Waters of Nimrim, a prominent stream or region within Moab [רד״ק, שטיינזלץ]. Once a bustling hub of trade and ships [מלבי״ם], this area was widely considered the most pleasant and desirable territory in the eyes of the Moabites [אברבנאל]. A region previously celebrated for its rich, fertile pastures is destined for total ruin. Its waters will completely dry up, and all its lush greenery will wither away. The land will be left entirely desolate, emptied of its inhabitants who will either be killed or forced to flee from the enemy [מצודת דוד, רד״ק].