ירמיהו, פרק נ״א, פסוק נ״ב

A heavy prophecy of doom hangs over Babylon, detailing the severe punishment God will bring upon the empire. God promises this destruction as a direct payback for the desecration of the Temple vessels, echoing the interpretation given by Daniel [מלבי״ם]. As part of His response, God will bring harsh judgment upon the idols of Babylon, ensuring their false gods face ruin [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This devastation will not be contained to a single region; rather, the punishment will sweep across the empire and be felt throughout the entire land [מצודת דוד].

As war ravages the country, the human toll will be immense. The agonizing groans of casualties will echo everywhere [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The primary approach among commentators is that this sound is not a general cry of pain, but the specific, final gasp of a dying person at the exact moment the soul leaves the body. Illustrating this horror vividly, [רש״י] describes it as the sharp cry of a person struck by an arrow or a spear, gasping in intense pain precisely when the weapon is pulled from their flesh.