יחזקאל, פרק י״א, פסוק ט״ו

A deep fracture divided the people of Judah: those who remained in the land and those who had been forced into exile. The residents who stayed in Jerusalem felt a profound sense of security and superiority due to their proximity to the Temple. Rather than mourning the loss of their brothers, they dismissed the value of the exiles, mocking them and gloating over their misfortune.

The prophecy addresses Ezekiel directly, bringing attention to his blood relatives who were banished with him to Babylon. The emphasis on kinship highlights the traditional role of a close family member, who is the one expected to redeem the property of a relative [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Furthermore, the recurring references to brothers and family serve as a reminder of the various waves of exile that preceded this moment. Some commentators view this repetition as a nod to the exile of Samaria and the exile of Jeconiah [רש״י]. Others see references to three major banishments: the exile of the tribes of Gad and Reuben from the eastern side of the Jordan River, the exile of Zebulun and Naphtali from Samaria, and the exile of Judah during the reigns of Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. Ultimately, the message encompasses the vast masses of Israelites who were uprooted and no longer live in Jerusalem [רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Toward all these exiled populations, the residents who remained under the rule of Zedekiah directed an arrogant and harsh message, commanding the exiles to distance themselves from God. In their eyes, physical removal from the Holy Land and the Temple meant the exiles were severed from God, and therefore they should no longer try to approach Him [רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. The Jerusalemites believed that their own continued presence in the land was absolute proof of their closeness to God, whereas the distant exiles were entirely cut off from divine providence and hope [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

A unique perspective offers a completely different background for this arrogance, suggesting it was rooted in idolatry. According to this view, the Jerusalemites claimed that the exiles were banished because they were lazy in their idol worship, while those who remained believed they were rewarded with the land specifically because of their devotion to false gods [חומת אנך].

Driven by this sense of superiority, the residents of Jerusalem declared that the land was given to them as an eternal inheritance [מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם]. Convinced that the exiles would never return, they claimed that the entire country, including the abandoned properties of their banished brothers, had now passed into their exclusive and permanent possession [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].