ירמיהו, פרק נ״א, פסוק ב׳

The impending destruction of Babylon is portrayed as a devastating and absolute military strike. Hostile forces converge from every direction to dismantle the city, strip away its wealth, and seal off any hope of escape.

The primary approach among commentators is that foreign armies will invade to violently scatter and break the local population. However, [רד״ק] presents an alternative view, suggesting that these invaders act primarily as looters who arrive specifically to plunder the land. Offering a different perspective on the enemy's formation, [מלבי״ם] explains that the foreign forces will not scatter the people, but rather form a tight ring around Babylon, completely encircling the city.

As the invasion progresses, the attackers will systematically strip the territory bare. There is broad agreement among the commentators that the invading forces will empty Babylon of all its wealth and assets, taking absolutely everything of value with them.

The nature of this siege highlights the sheer brutality of the attack. On the day of disaster, the hostile forces will close in on Babylon from every possible direction. [מלבי״ם] emphasizes the severity of this tactic by contrasting it with standard military practices. Typically, an army laying siege to a city will only surround it from three sides, intentionally leaving one direction open as an escape route for the inhabitants. In the case of Babylon, however, the enemy forces will encamp around it from all four sides. This total encirclement demonstrates a clear and ruthless intention to ensure that no one escapes and no refugees survive.