יחזקאל, פרק מ״ד, פסוק ו׳

A harsh divine warning is directed at the nation, confronting their deep-seated defiance and demanding an immediate end to the corrupt practices that ultimately defiled the Temple. The prophecy addresses the people not just as individuals who sin, but as the very embodiment of rebellion, characterized by stubbornness and refusal [מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם]. This rebellious nature acts as a defining adjective for the nation [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ], emphasizing that the House of Israel itself has completely transformed into a rebellious entity [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].

God issues a firm demand for the people to put an end to their offensive acts, a call that carries two connected layers of meaning. On one level, it serves as a strict boundary regarding time: the people have engaged in these terrible practices for far too long, and the moment has come to finally say enough and stop [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

On another level, the rebuke targets the extreme severity of their specific actions, particularly the desecration of the Temple. God confronts both the Babylonian exiles for their behavior prior to the exile and those who remained in the land. While their past offenses were already terrible, they completely crossed the line by bringing foreigners, lacking commitment in both heart and body, into the Temple to defile it [רד״ק]. This represents a shocking escalation in their betrayal. Merely allowing foreigners into the sacred space is a grave offense on its own, but actively handing over the holy service to them is an even greater violation, surpassing all the terrible sins they had committed previously [מלבי״ם].