יואל, פרק ד׳, פסוק ו׳

The enemies and neighbors of the Israelites exploited the nation's vulnerability to traffic the people and banish them to remote lands. There are different perspectives on when this trafficking took place. It may have occurred during times of relative peace while the people of Judah were living securely in their homeland, with neighboring nations secretly kidnapping their children [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. Alternatively, these events might have unfolded during the chaos of the national destruction and exile, as neighbors opportunistically joined the conquering armies to take prisoners [רד״ק, מלבי״ם].

Regardless of when they were taken, the captives from Judah and Jerusalem were brought to coastal cities filled with sailors. From there, they were sold to the Greeks, a destination chosen specifically because Greece was considered extremely far from the Land of Israel at that time [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Sending the captives to such a remote location served multiple purposes. On a practical level, it helped the kidnappers hide their crime from being discovered [מצודת דוד] and ensured that the victims would never be able to find their way back home [רד״ק]. Beyond logistics, this extreme distancing revealed a profound level of cruelty. The sale was not driven merely by a desire for financial profit, but by a deep-seated hatred. The captors wanted to erase the Israelites completely. Because of this intentional and vicious cruelty, God will punish these nations measure for measure, treating them exactly as they treated the Israelites [מלבי״ם].