תהלים, פרק ע״ח, פסוק ס״ב

A period of intense divine anger brought about a devastating military defeat and profound spiritual ruin for the Israelites. The primary approach among commentators is that God completely handed His people over to the sword, leaving them defenseless in battle [מצודת ציון, מאירי]. As a result of this withdrawal of divine protection, the nation suffered a massive and deadly blow, leaving countless casualties in its wake [אבן עזרא, רד״ק]. The sheer scale of the distress was overwhelming [אלשיך], with specific accounts noting that thirty thousand men fell in a single conflict [מלבי״ם].

Even though the Israelites are considered God's own inheritance [ביאור שטיינזלץ], a status that carries an inherent sense of holiness, this special relationship did not shield them. Instead, the divine anger reached such an extreme level that it crossed normal boundaries. Because His wrath went beyond the usual limits, the resulting punishment did not end with the tragic loss of human life on the battlefield. It ultimately brought about a total spiritual collapse, culminating in the destruction of the Tabernacle of Shiloh [מלבי״ם].