Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 1:14

"Then Jehovah said unto me, Out of the north evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land." — Jeremiah 1:14 (ASV)

Out of the north ...- The caldron represents the great military empires upon the Euphrates. In Hezekiah’s time, Nineveh was at their head; but stormed by the armies of Cyaxares and Nabopalassar, it is itself now the victim whose limbs are seething in the caldron, and the seat of empire has been transferred to Babylon. But whoever may prevail for the time being, the tide of passion and carnage is sure to finally pour itself upon Judea.

An evil shall break forth-“ The evil shall be opened,” shall show itself, be disclosed from the north: that special evil, which from the days of Micah (Micah 3:12) all the prophets had denounced against the Jews if they lapsed into idolatry. At present the caldron is fiercely boiling upon the Euphrates. As soon as either of the parties struggling there gains the victory, it will pour the whole seething mass over other countries in the shape of an invading army .