יחזקאל, פרק ל״ב, פסוק י״ד

The absolute destruction and emptiness of the land are portrayed through a surprisingly peaceful image of quiet waters. However, this stillness is not a sign of peace, but rather the result of a complete absence of life. The imagery focuses on a downward sinking into the depths [מצודת ציון]. The primary approach among commentators is that the mud and silt will simply settle at the bottom of the riverbed. Because the land will be entirely abandoned, the waters will remain perfectly undisturbed. There will be no people or animals crossing the rivers to stir up the mud with their feet, and no ships will sail across the surface [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Furthermore, the water will stay deep and settled in place because there will be no one left to draw from it to water the fields and gardens [רד״ק]. Without any activity to disrupt them, the rivers will flow gently. Their waters will become completely pure, clean, and clear, flowing as smoothly as refined oil.

Beyond this physical description, there is also an allegorical meaning that points to a broader political reality. In this view, the quiet rivers represent the silencing of the nations of the world and the ruin of their empires. The imagery serves as a metaphor for defeated kingdoms, where foreign kings are led away quietly and without putting up any resistance [רד״ק].