And take unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face resolutely against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it: it is a sign to the house of Israel.
וְאַתָּ֤ה קַח־לְךָ֙ מַחֲבַ֣ת בַּרְזֶ֔ל וְנָתַתָּ֤ה אוֹתָהּ֙ קִ֣יר בַּרְזֶ֔ל בֵּינְךָ֖ וּבֵ֣ין הָעִ֑יר וַהֲכִינֹתָה֩ אֶת־פָּנֶ֨יךָ אֵלֶ֜יהָ וְהָיְתָ֤ה בַמָּצוֹר֙ וְצַרְתָּ֣ עָלֶ֔יהָ א֥וֹת הִ֖יא לְבֵ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
You shall obtain an iron frying pan and place it as a barrier of iron between yourself and the city. The misfortune of the Jews is depicted by God as a frying pan, symbolizing how their hearts would be scorched by the tribulations they endured.
What has been previously articulated regarding the prophet and the symbolic representation depicted by the brick encircling the strongholds, ramparts, and siege engines serves as an introductory indication of the impending siege of Jerusalem. This message is now elucidated with greater clarity after various considerations: it serves as a sign for the house of Israel. The iron plate situated between the prophet and the city signifies the intense wrath of God, which no entreaty can soften or persuade towards mercy. Just as iron surpasses all other metals in strength, the grievous transgressions of Jerusalem have, through their own actions, rendered God—who is inherently good—exceedingly stern.
Furthermore, the iron pan positioned in the middle serves as a symbol of a barrier, indicating that the entire nation is destined for devastation and ruin in a short time. The turning of the face towards the city represents a token of severity, in alignment with the written word, as stated in Scripture: the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off their remembrance from the earth (Psalm 33:17).
The Prophet is instructed to embody the likeness of God; thus, he receives the directive to place an iron barrier between himself and the city inscribed on a stone slab. From this, he comprehends that while God will not abandon Jerusalem and will observe the actions within it, His attention towards its inhabitants will be withdrawn. As if obstructed by a wall of iron, He will appear to overlook the events occurring there and remain unresponsive to those who cry out for His help. "Perform this," the Lord commands the prophet, "so that through this act, conveyed not in words but through actions, you may provide a sign to those who now refuse to listen and remain silent."
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS