The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.
The cities in the southern region will be locked up tight, with no one able to open them. All of Judah will be taken away as prisoners—the entire nation will be completely carried off into captivity.
God is warning that all of Judah will be conquered and taken away as captives, with their cities left empty and sealed.
📚 Historical Context
Jeremiah prophesied this around 605-586 BC, during the final years before Babylon conquered Jerusalem. The 'cities of the south' likely refers to the Negev region of Judah, which would be the first to fall to the Babylonian army advancing from the north. This prophecy was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar carried the people of Judah into exile in Babylon.
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