יחזקאל, פרק כ״ד, פסוק י״ג

A deep entrenchment in sin and a repeated disregard for divine warnings ultimately lead a nation to a point of no return. When peaceful guidance is continually rejected, severe consequences become the only remaining path to restoration. The people have become entirely sunken in impurity, characterized by widespread immorality. [מלבי״ם] adds a psychological dimension to this state, explaining that this behavior is not merely a collection of physical acts. Rather, it represents a profound corruption of the mind, where thoughts and plans are entirely consumed by sin, leaving a deep stain that is incredibly difficult to wash away. Because of this deep-rooted corruption, [רש״י] warns that the nation is destined to perish and be lost within its own impurity.

God actively tried to cleanse the people, but they stubbornly refused to change. His primary method of purification was sending prophets time and time again to warn the nation, offer correction, and guide them back to the right path [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. Alongside these prophetic warnings, God established boundaries, laws, and prohibitions designed to distance the people from wrongdoing [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Despite these continuous efforts, the people rejected every opportunity to improve.

Because gentle attempts at correction were ignored, peaceful purification is no longer possible. God determines that the people will not be cleansed until He fully unleashes His anger. This purification will only arrive after God's anger is satisfied through the harsh realities of captivity, exile, and scattering [מלבי״ם]. Yet, this severe response is not an act of vengeance. It is a necessary, albeit painful, cleansing process. Enduring the suffering and accepting the punishment is the very mechanism that will eventually scour away the deep-seated sins, leading to the complete and final purification of the nation [רד״ק, מצודת דוד].