יחזקאל, פרק ט״ז, פסוק נ״ג

A harsh prophecy of rebuke gives way to a promise of future restoration and redemption. Yet, even within this comfort, a lingering tone of humiliation is woven in for Jerusalem. The promise speaks of returning to the land and regaining a lost status, fully bringing back the captives from their state of exile [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם].

The primary approach among commentators is that the specific order of this future redemption is designed to emphasize Jerusalem's disgrace. God will restore Sodom and Samaria first. Because their sins are considered less severe, they will be the main focus of the rebuilding process. Jerusalem's own restoration will be secondary, merely following in the wake of these other cities, and will only occur after Jerusalem experiences exile and punishment just as they did [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד].

The promise to restore Sodom means that God will heal its land from the ancient damage of sulfur and salt, allowing people to settle there once again [רש״י]. Because Sodom currently remains in ruins, it is clear that this prophecy has not yet come to pass. It is destined to be fulfilled only in the End of Days during the Messianic era [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Ultimately, Jerusalem will be rebuilt right alongside Samaria and Sodom [רש״י, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This shared restoration highlights a complex relationship, showing that Jerusalem is bound to Samaria as part of a single nation, while simultaneously being grouped together with its neighbor, Sodom [רד״ק].