Yeremia 13:19

13:19 The gates of the towns in southern Judah will be shut tight. ¹ 

No one will be able to go in or out of them. ² 

All Judah will be carried off into exile.

They will be completely carried off into exile.’” ³ 

Yeremia 48:24

48:24 on Kerioth and Bozrah. It will come on all the towns of Moab, both far and near.

[13:19]  ¹ tn Heb “The towns of the Negev will be shut.”

[13:19]  ² tn Heb “There is no one to open them.” The translation is based on the parallel in Josh 6:1 where the very expression in the translation is used. Opening the city would have permitted entrance (of relief forces) as well as exit (of fugitives).

[13:19]  ³ sn The statements are poetic exaggerations (hyperbole), as most commentaries note. Even in the exile of 587 b.c. not “all” of the people of Jerusalem or of Judah were exiled. Cf. the context of 2 Kgs 24:14-16 again.