יחזקאל, פרק כ״ו, פסוק י״ב

The downfall of the city is a portrait of absolute ruin. It is not merely a military defeat, but the total erasure of its economic power and physical existence. This devastating end comes as a direct, measure-for-measure punishment. Because the city celebrated the destruction of Jerusalem, its own fate is sealed [חומת אנך]. Instead of eager merchants flocking to its gates to trade, ruthless enemies will arrive to strip away its riches.

The ruin unfolds in distinct stages, beginning with a thorough economic plundering. The invaders will target both the city's vast accumulated wealth and the diverse, abundant merchandise of its traders. The looting takes two forms [מלבי״ם]. First, the grand, stationary treasures and general assets fall into the hands of the conquering army as the spoils of war. At the same time, individual soldiers will scavenge and steal the smaller, personal goods left behind by the local merchants.

Once the city is entirely emptied of its wealth, the invaders turn their attention to its physical structures. They will tear down the protective walls and target the most expensive, highly valued homes. This is not a simple demolition; it is an absolute shattering of the buildings, breaking the very stones into fragments [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The final phase of the destruction ensures the city vanishes from the face of the earth. The invaders will take the remaining building materials—the shattered stones, the timber, and even the dust and dirt from the rubble—and hurl them into the nearby sea [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. By casting these remnants into the deep water, the raw materials will be swept away by the currents, permanently destroying any future chance to rebuild or restore the city [ביאור שטיינזלץ].