יחזקאל, פרק ז׳, פסוק ד׳

Divine disaster is not a random strike from the outside, but a direct reflection of human actions. Although God is naturally merciful and gracious, a breaking point is reached where He entirely withdraws His compassion [אברבנאל]. This withdrawal of mercy carries a profound sorrow [מצודת ציון] and takes two distinct forms. First, God will no longer have pity on the people for their own sake, because they have entirely lost their inner beauty and goodness [מלבי״ם]. Second, He will not spare them with the thought that they might serve some future purpose. Because evil has become so deeply ingrained in them, no benefit can be drawn from their survival that would justify keeping them alive [מלבי״ם].

The reason for this total absence of mercy is that the impending punishment is an exact mirror of their sins, serving as a direct and precise payback for their corrupted paths [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. Since their ways have been completely ruined, there is simply no good left in them to justify any compassion [מלבי״ם]. The tragedy will not appear as a random accident of history; rather, it will be the physical embodiment of their own evil deeds coming to life [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The consequences of these terrible acts will strike the people deeply from within [מצודת דוד]. A different perspective suggests that this internal strike means reality will shift entirely, stripping the people of their ability to practice idolatry publicly as they once did. Instead, they will be forced to hide their false beliefs, keeping their abominations buried silently in their own hearts [אברבנאל]. Ultimately, this painful process serves a profound purpose. Precisely through this destruction, where the punishment perfectly matches the crime, everyone will come to recognize that God is faithful to His word and delivers absolute, perfect justice [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל].