איוב, פרק י״ח, פסוק י״ח

The ultimate fate of the wicked is marked by a sudden and absolute downfall, representing a complete exile from life and society into destruction. When considering what forces this collapse, commentators offer different perspectives. The push might come directly from heaven, crushing the wrongdoer [רש״י]. Others suggest that the sheer terror and troubles that gather around him are what finally drive him away [רמב״ן, מצודת דוד]. Alternatively, the cause is internal, as his own actions inevitably lead to his total rejection [תקות אנוש].

This downfall is characterized by a sharp, violent transition from light into darkness. On a physical level, this describes being forcefully thrust from the bright reality of the living world into the dark confines of death and the grave [מצודת דוד, תקות אנוש]. On a spiritual level, the removal is even more profound, representing a banishment from the light of eternal life into a land of shadow [מלבי״ם]. Another perspective views this shift as the loss of a portion in the Garden of Eden, symbolized by light, resulting in a deep fall into a darker share in hell [אלשיך].

The forceful removal from the inhabited world serves to emphasize the intensity of this exile [מצודת דוד, תקות אנוש]. The act of being chased away goes beyond mere wandering [מצודת ציון]; it is a profound distancing and violent casting out [רלב״ג, אבן עזרא, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. It carries the heavy weight of social excommunication. The wicked individual is completely separated and driven away from human society, treated like an outcast permanently banned from the community [אבן עזרא, תקות אנוש].

This banishment extends far beyond physical distance. To be chased from the world means that the wrongdoer will have no continuation, legacy, or memory left behind among the living [מלבי״ם]. Ultimately, this process of total erasure is intensified and finalized by the very evil inclination that took control of him, bringing about his absolute and permanent expulsion [אלשיך].