מיכה, פרק ז׳, פסוק י״ג

In the end of days, total destruction will fall upon the enemies of the Israelites. This future disaster will not be an arbitrary punishment, but rather the direct and natural consequence of their own evil actions [אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם].

The target of this devastation is understood primarily as the territories belonging to the nations that have opposed the Israelites. Some scholars identify these areas with specific historical enemies, such as the Babylonians and Persians [רש״י] or the Chaldeans [מצודת דוד]. In contrast, a broader perspective suggests that the ruin will not be limited to a specific region, but will instead encompass the entire earth [מלבי״ם].

The fate of the land is deeply tied to the people living there, a connection understood in two distinct ways. The primary approach among commentators is that the land will become completely desolate alongside its inhabitants, meaning both the territory and the people will be wiped out together [רד״ק, מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד]. Another view suggests a more causal relationship: the earth will be destroyed specifically because of the people, as human sin is the very force that brings disaster upon the ground [מלבי״ם].

Ultimately, this widespread desolation is the direct outcome of the inhabitants' choices [ביאור שטיינזלץ, מלבי״ם]. There is a broad consensus that the central sin triggering this severe punishment is the deep harm and great evil these nations inflicted upon the Israelites throughout history [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד].