ירמיהו, פרק נ׳, פסוק ט״ו

The collapse of the Babylonian empire unfolds as a dramatic and absolute event, blending the physical shattering of its defenses with the psychological breaking of its people. As the attacking forces surround the city, a great noise is raised against it. Some view this loud cry as a calculated tactical move designed to strike terror into the hearts of the besieged inhabitants, echoing the strategy used during the conquest of Jericho [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. Others understand it as a triumphant victory shout, signaling that the battle is already over, the defenses have failed, and the city can no longer fight [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Reduced to total helplessness, Babylon surrenders completely. The empire is pictured as a weak, falling person desperately reaching out in all directions, begging for mercy and hoping someone will offer a hand to lift them up [רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This gesture represents an absolute submission to the enemy, born out of the realization that their strength is entirely gone and they can no longer stand in battle [רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. Following this psychological defeat, the physical destruction is deep and fundamental. The very foundations of the city give way, causing the massive walls to collapse on their own. This total structural failure mirrors the miraculous fall of the walls of Jericho [מלבי״ם].

This downfall is not merely a military defeat, but the execution of divine justice. God brings vengeance upon the empire, punishing it exactly according to the way it treated others. The destruction serves as a direct payback for Babylon tearing down the walls of Jerusalem, destroying the Temple, and profaning the name of God [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, the punishment reflects a broader measure-for-measure justice for the general cruelty Babylon displayed when it ruthlessly destroyed numerous other nations, as that same harsh judgment is finally turned back upon itself [מלבי״ם].