How is the reaction of the enemies described?

The reaction of the enemies is described as follows:

1. All your enemies rail against you, or All your enemies have opened their mouths against you. This is a way of taunting, perhaps a position of poise to devour (see Psalm 22:13).

2. They hiss - a gesture of mockery and scorn, it is an expression of astonishment over the extent of the catastrophe that had befallen the city (see Lamentations 2:15). It is also an expression of glee.

3. They gnash their teeth- a gesture of mockery (Psalm 35:16) or threat (Psalm 37:12). In this case it seems to refer to both. Like a wild animal, the enemy is grinding its teeth, ready to devour its prey (Psalm 124:6).

4. We have swallowed her! The verb swallow up denotes an act of destruction that is swift and seemingly irreversible.¹ Its use occurs in contexts of war, in reference to devouring an enemy. Like hungry predators, the armies have devoured Jerusalem. (The Babylonian army was likely joined by neighbouring peoples that were hostile towards Judah. The Ammonites, Moabites and Edomites might have had a greater interest in the destruction of Jerusalem than Babylon ever did; Judah was perhaps a minor irritant to the Babylonian empire.)

5. Ah, this is the day we longed for; now we have it; we see it. The gleeful neighbours convey their exultation over what has finally occurred. With immense satisfaction, they declare that they have finally found what they had been looking for. The long-anticipated defeat has come true before their very eyes.²