ירמיהו, פרק מ״ט, פסוק ח׳

A severe warning of ruin and disaster is directed at the residents of Dedan, a city or region located within the territory of Edom [רד"ק, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. A catastrophic event is destined to strike them at an appointed time. This is the moment God has set to remember their sins and bring upon them the harsh consequences they deserve [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

In the face of this impending doom, the narrative centers on desperate acts of escape and concealment. The imagery evokes a complete evacuation, similar to clearing a house of all its belongings [רש"י, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ], followed by a descent into deep underground shelters for safety [רש"י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Commentators offer different perspectives on exactly who is performing these actions and when they occur. One approach understands the message as an urgent command to the people of Dedan: they must run away, abandon their homes, and conceal themselves in the depths [רש"י]. Conversely, another viewpoint reads the account as a factual record of events that have already happened. Noting that the actions of evacuating and hiding are phrased in the past tense rather than as commands, this interpretation explains that when the residents were told to flee, they successfully emptied their land and hid themselves deep underground so the enemy could not reach them [מצודת דוד, אביו של הרד"ק]. A third perspective separates the subjects entirely. While the initial call to flee is directed at the residents of Dedan, the subsequent actions describe the invaders. The people must escape precisely because the enemy forces have already swept through the area and firmly entrenched themselves in the land, fully intending to expel and exile the original inhabitants [רד"ק].