ישעיהו, פרק ס״ו, פסוק כ״ד

The prophetic vision concludes with a dramatic and eternal contrast. While the faithful gather in Jerusalem to serve God, the remains of the wicked stand as a global monument of divine justice and profound disgrace. As people from all over the world travel to Jerusalem to bow before God, they will step outside the city—specifically to the Valley of Jehoshaphat or the Valley of Hinnom, according to the primary approach among commentators—to observe the bodies of the slain.

These fallen individuals are primarily identified as the armies of Gog and Magog, who rebelled against God and attempted to force Israel into exile [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. Alternatively, they may be the sinners of Israel who were condemned on the Day of Judgment [רד״ק]. This event will take place near the time of final judgment, specifically during the seven months when the casualties of Gog and Magog lie waiting to be buried [מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. However, others suggest this viewing will only occur later, following the resurrection of the dead [רד״ק, אבן עזרא].

The punishment inflicted upon these rebels is a supernatural wonder meant to immortalize their wickedness. They are consumed by worms that never die and a fire that is never put out. Miraculously, the fire does not burn the worms, nor does it reduce the corpses to ash; instead, the bodies continue to burn forever [רד״ק, מלבי״ם, שד״ל]. While the worms devour the physical flesh, the fire is understood by some as a spiritual punishment in Hell [רש״י]. Another perspective views the fire as a symbol of the sinful soul's suffering after death. Having failed to earn the right to ascend to God's angels, the soul remains trapped near a spiritual sphere of fire [רד״ק, אבן עזרא].

This horrifying display reduces the wicked to an object of ultimate shame, contempt, and disgust [רש״י, מצודת ציון, אבן עזרא, שד״ל]. The visual horror and the overwhelming stench will be so severe that anyone who approaches will be forced to quickly back away [רד״ק]. Although the lifeless bodies themselves feel no pain, their gruesome appearance serves as an eternal warning and a powerful deterrent for the living who come to witness the scene [שד״ל].

Because the prophetic book ends with such a harsh and unsettling image, an ancient custom developed regarding its public reading. To avoid finishing on a negative note, the reader repeats the preceding verse at the very end, ensuring the text concludes with an uplifting vision of universal dedication to God [ביאור שטיינזלץ].