What is the meaning of the expression “in the street the sword bereaves; in the house it is like death”?

The ending of this verse raises some questions. Does the expression in the street the sword bereaves; in the house it is like death refer to the situation during the siege? This is unlikely, since the foregoing verses concern the condition of Jerusalem after the catastrophe. But how can the words be understood? They seem to remind us of the siege. It is, however, important to see that the writer uses strong poetic language to highlight the true extent of Jerusalem’s misery. Of course, this does not alter the fact that these expressions must have been based on reality. Even after the conquest of Jerusalem, strife, famine, and pestilence continued to ravage the land. The attempts of the neighbouring peoples to conquer Judah's territory (see Lamentations 1:3), and the insufficient food supply in the homes of the few poor remaining inhabitants should be considered. It is self-evident that epidemics would also prevail in the country, even after the siege.¹