יחזקאל, פרק כ״ח, פסוק ח׳

The illusion of eternal life and divine power shatters completely when confronted with the brutal reality of a humiliating human death. Enemy forces will cast the condemned ruler down into the grave. The primary approach among commentators is that the mere fact he can be killed serves as absolute proof of his humanity. It exposes that he is not an eternal being, entirely dismantling the godlike image he had built for himself [מלבי״ם].

The nature of his end is particularly severe, resembling the gruesome fate of those slain in battle [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. He does not face a swift execution but rather a prolonged and agonizing dying process, as if he is experiencing multiple deaths. This reflects a painful end, much like a person enduring numerous stab wounds before dying [רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. Such a degrading and miserable end further proves that he possesses no divine honor or presence [מלבי״ם]. Alternatively, this prolonged suffering is tied to the specific nature of drowning. A person drowning at sea does not perish instantly, but instead goes through a drawn-out, terrifying process of dying [רד״ק].

The ultimate irony of this harsh fate lies in its location. This violent demise at the hands of foreign tyrants occurs specifically in the heart of the sea. This is the exact place that once fueled his immense pride, the very domain he considered his most secure, guarded, and impenetrable fortress [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].