ירמיהו, פרק נ״א, פסוק נ״ד

The fall of a once-mighty empire is marked by the distinct sounds of its collapse. Echoes of destruction rise and break forth from Babylon, taking the form of a massive cry of disaster. This great shout echoes powerfully and can be heard from a great distance outside the city [מצודת דוד, רד״ק].

This immense devastation, which forces such a desperate cry from the people of the land, is not a random tragedy or the natural outcome of a lost war. Rather, it is a deliberate and calculated event brought about by the direct providence of God [מלבי״ם].