ירמיהו, פרק ו׳, פסוק כ״ד

The mental and physical collapse of a nation facing an approaching enemy unfolds as a gradual progression of terror. The prophet speaks on behalf of the entire nation, including himself among the Israelites who are deeply afraid upon hearing the grim prophecy [רד״ק].

The sequence begins with the initial shock of receiving the report about the advancing army [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This news immediately triggers immense fear, resulting in profound physical weakness and paralysis [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. As the threat intensifies, a severe distress takes hold and firmly grips the people [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Ultimately, this escalating panic culminates in a violent physical reaction of shuddering and shaking, likening the overwhelming pain and fear to the intense agony of a woman in labor [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Beyond an emotional description, this progression also serves as a chronological timeline of the war and the subsequent destruction [מלבי״ם]. In this approach, the initial despair and the resulting inaction upon hearing the news represent the first stage of the conflict. The distress that later grips the nation corresponds to the grueling period when the city is actively under siege. The final stage, compared to a woman giving birth, symbolizes the exact moment the city walls are breached. Just as a mother's body opens to deliver a child, the city's defenses are broken open, an event that triggers the panicked, nighttime escape of the king and his soldiers [מלבי״ם].