1)
How many levels are in their descent?
1.
Malbim: There are three - Za'avah, then Shamah and Sherekah, and in the end they fell to the sword. So was prophesized in the Tochachah about idolatry 1 .
1
Yirmeyah 29:17-18 mentions these three, but it puts the sword first. It does not explicitly mention idolatry, but it says that they did not heed the Nevi'im, and their primary rebuke was about idolatry. (PF)
