Fear and a snare is come upon us,.... Or, "fear and a pit" m; the fear of failing into the pit of ruin and destruction, on the brink of which they saw themselves; or fear seized us, and caused us to flee; and a snare or pit was prepared for us to fall into; so that there was no escaping hence:
desolation and destruction; desolation or devastation of their land; and destruction of their city and temple; and of multitudes of them by the sword, famine, and pestilence; and the rest carried into captivity, excepting a few left desolate in the land.
m פחד ופחת "pavor et fovea", Calvin, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Michaelis.