ירמיהו, פרק נ״א, פסוק ו׳

An urgent warning echoes through the streets of Babylon, urging those inside to flee for their lives just moments before Divine judgment strikes the city. The primary approach among commentators is that this call is directed at the foreign residents, merchants, and people of other nations currently staying in Babylon, instructing them to escape immediately. In contrast, another perspective [רש״י] suggests that the message is specifically aimed at the exiled Israelites living within the city.

Regardless of the exact audience, the goal of this sudden flight is to survive and avoid becoming collateral damage in the impending disaster. The inhabitants are warned not to delay in a doomed location. If they linger, they risk being completely cut off and destroyed alongside Babylon, swept away by the consequences of its many sins.

The time has arrived for God to execute judgment upon Babylon for His absolute justice to be realized. This total destruction operates on two complementary levels [מלבי״ם]. First, it serves as direct Divine vengeance for the city's inherent sins. Second, it acts as a precise, measure-for-measure repayment for the evil deeds Babylon previously committed against other nations.