יחזקאל, פרק כ״ד, פסוק ג׳

A deep sense of false security had taken root among the people of Judah. The exiles in Babylon refused to accept that Jerusalem could ever fall to an enemy, placing their absolute trust in the city's massive walls, its large population, and God's ultimate protection over His temple [אברבנאל]. To shatter this illusion, a piercing metaphor is directed at the rebellious nation, turning their own popular sayings directly against them.

In the past, the residents of Jerusalem confidently compared their city to a sturdy cooking pot and themselves to the meat safely contained inside. They believed that just as a metal pot shields meat from the direct flames of a fire, the fortified walls of Jerusalem would shield them from any invading army [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. Now, this comforting imagery is reversed, serving as a warning that Nebuchadnezzar is about to place their protective pot directly onto a raging fire [רש״י].

The command to firmly set the pot over the flames is emphasized strongly, representing a deliberate and unshakeable placement [רש״י, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. This physical action mirrors the very beginning of the Babylonian siege on Jerusalem. Just as placing a pot on the stove is the essential first step of cooking, the arrival of the Babylonian army to surround the city marks the definitive preparation for its capture [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. Pushing the pot tightly against the heat illustrates how severely the enemy forces will tighten their siege around the city walls [מלבי״ם].

Once the pot is set, water is poured inside [רש״י, מצודת ציון]. This water carries two complementary meanings regarding the nature of the attack. On one hand, it represents the supplies and weapons gathered by the people trapped inside, which serve as a temporary buffer preventing the fire from burning the city down immediately [רש״י, מלבי״ם]. However, the primary approach among commentators is that the water represents a deliberate delay in the cooking process. Just as water stops meat from roasting instantly and instead forces it to boil slowly, it signifies the painful stretching out of the conflict. Jerusalem will not be destroyed in a single, swift strike. Instead, the city will endure a prolonged and agonizing siege, where the people inside will slowly perish from famine, disease, and war [רד״ק, אברבנאל].