Jeremias 5:15

The Lord promised His people, called Israel here, that He would bring destruction against them by burning them up with Jeremiah’s fiery words. The destroyer would come from a distant nation whose language they did not understand; it would not come from some nearby nation (cf. Deuteronomy 28:49; Isaiah 28:11).

"Though Judah might appeal for mercy, the language barrier would prevent her cries from being heeded because they would not be understood." [Note: Harrison, Jeremiah and . . ., p. 77.]

This enemy nation was old and enduring. Babylon traced its origins back to Babel (Genesis 10:10; Genesis 11:1-9; Genesis 11:31).