ירמיהו, פרק מ״ח, פסוק ו׳

A warning of impending doom hangs over the people of Moab. The prophet issues an urgent call for them to run for their lives, leaving everything else behind. Rather than attempting to fight off the approaching enemy, their only viable option is immediate flight to ensure physical survival [מלבי״ם]. This warning is rooted in a deep understanding of human nature. Often, people hesitate to escape danger because they want to protect their wealth. By clinging to their possessions, they ultimately lose both their riches and their lives. Therefore, the clear instruction is to abandon all property and focus entirely on surviving [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל].

The aftermath of this escape paints a bleak picture of survival. There are different perspectives on what exactly is left in ruins. One view suggests that the fleeing people themselves will be reduced to a state of total poverty and isolation. Even so, living with absolutely nothing is still better than dying [מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. Another perspective shifts the focus to the cities of Moab, which will be completely abandoned and turned into absolute wastelands [רד״ק, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

To capture this severe desolation, a vivid comparison is drawn to something isolated in the desert. There are two main, complementary ways to understand this imagery. The first approach identifies it as a specific type of tree that grows in arid, dry lands. Just like a withered tree completely lacking moisture, the survivors or the ruined cities will experience extreme loneliness, abandonment, and deprivation [מנחם הובא ברש״י, מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אברבנאל].

The second approach views the comparison as a reference to a specific place or structure. It may point directly to the Moabite city of Aroer, which sat in a remote, isolated desert region far from other settlements [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, it might describe a lone, abandoned tower standing in the middle of the wilderness, surrounded only by the temporary tents of nomads, looking like an empty ruin [רש״י, רד״ק, אברבנאל].

Ultimately, these ideas blend together seamlessly. The specific imagery used is deliberate, carrying both meanings at once. It directly references a remote desert city while simultaneously evoking the picture of a lonely, dried-out tree in the wilderness. Together, these layers create a single, powerful vision of absolute destruction and emptiness [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].