Why does Jeremiah refer to the cities of Negeb that have been “shut up”?

Jeremiah continues to describe what lies in the future for Judah. The events spoken of here go beyond Jehoiachin’s exile in 597 BC and speak of the siege of Jerusalem in 587 BC and the exile of the nation to Babylon.¹ Negeb refers to the dry area south of Judah and is used here to speak loosely of southern Judah where towns existed.² The fact that the towns of Negeb are said to be shut up or placed under siege, shows that the invasion will sweep all the way from the north to the south of Judah, including Jerusalem.³ The result is that all Judah is taken into exile, wholly taken into exile. This phrase is hyperbole since many Israelites remained in the land after the exile and King Nebuchadnezzar appointed Zedekiah to rule over them (2 Kings 24:18).⁴