ירמיהו, פרק נ״א, פסוק ל״ד

A collective cry of pain rises from the nation of Israel and Zion, mourning the devastating ruin and suffering inflicted by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. Though the disaster struck countless individuals, the nation raises its voice as one united body, blending personal tragedy with national grief [רד״ק].

The brutal conquest is first experienced as a deep, crushing panic that breaks the spirit of the people [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, אברבנאל, שטיינזלץ]. Following this initial wave of destruction, the nation is compared to an emptied vessel. The Babylonian king looted the wealth, leaving the people completely destitute, set aside like a hollow jar [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל].

This cruel plunder is likened to a massive serpent that swallows its prey whole, without even chewing [מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. Nebuchadnezzar swiftly consumed the nation, taking the wealth, delights, and goodness of the land of Israel and Jerusalem to fill his own belly, stocking his land and treasuries with the spoils [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אברבנאל].

The final stage of the conquest is compared to the thorough rinsing of a dish. Just as a person washes a bowl until absolutely nothing remains stuck to its sides, Nebuchadnezzar expelled the Israelites from their land, leaving nothing behind [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אברבנאל]. This act of washing represents the harsh reality of being cast far away into exile [אברבנאל, שטיינזלץ]. Adding a poetic layer to this imagery, it is said that the Babylonian king did not merely eat the contents and wash the dish, but ultimately swallowed the empty vessel itself [מלבי״ם].

Alternatively, these vivid metaphors map out a precise historical timeline of the downfall [מלבי״ם]. The initial consumption represents the killing of the people during the reign of Jehoiakim. The image of the empty vessel symbolizes the subsequent exile of Jeconiah, which drained the land of its leaders. The monstrous swallowing reflects the massive looting of property. Finally, the thorough rinsing away points to the absolute and ultimate exile during the days of Zedekiah.