ירמיהו, פרק נ׳, פסוק ל״ד

The exiled Israelites find themselves in a plundered and miserable state, seemingly at the mercy of their captors. Yet, their ultimate freedom does not depend on the goodwill or permission of those who hold them captive. A powerful divine intervention is destined to overturn this harsh reality, avenge the oppressed, and bring peace to the entire world. Because their Redeemer is strong, the refusal of the Babylonians to willingly release the exiles is ultimately irrelevant. God will fight on their behalf, bringing destruction to Babylon and leading the Israelites to freedom [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

This divine intervention involves two distinct but directly connected actions: granting profound rest and peace, while simultaneously causing intense trembling and fear [מצודת ציון]. The primary approach among commentators is that these two events operate as cause and effect. The king of Babylon once shook kingdoms and ruled harshly over nations. To end this, God will cast deep anxiety and agitation upon the inhabitants of Babylon, stripping them of their ability to dominate others. It is precisely through the fear and collapse enveloping Babylon that true peace and relief will finally spread across the rest of the earth.

Building on this idea, another perspective compares this global calming to the quiet that settles over the sea after a violent storm. The shattering of the power of the wicked and the sudden shock brought upon Babylon are the very forces that calm the raging storm of the world [רד״ק].