ירמיהו, פרק ה׳, פסוק כ״ט

A profound sense of moral and spiritual hopelessness marks the climax of the nation's downfall, summarizing the unavoidable consequences of their actions. The surrounding events detail the three most severe offenses: sexual immorality, idol worship, and murder. While sexual immorality and idolatry create a reality filled with scandal and disgust, the focus ultimately shifts to the sins of murder and robbery, which directly pave the way for destruction and a desolate wasteland [מלבי״ם]. Faced with such overwhelming corruption, a piercing rhetorical question arises. It is unthinkable that God would overlook such severe actions or fail to bring the sinners to justice. A nation that behaves with such deep-seated corruption entirely deserves the punishments about to fall upon it [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The reason this punishment is absolute and unavoidable lies in the complete loss of any hope for repentance. The entire system of leadership has collapsed. Prophets spread lies, and the priests, rather than guiding the public in the ways of the Torah and divine service, use their authority to force the masses further into those falsehoods. Even worse, the people themselves have no desire to wake up or change their ways; they actively love the corrupt reality they live in. Without any chance of repair from either the leadership or the general public, the inescapable outcome is the complete desolation of the land due to their evil deeds [מלבי״ם].