Scale the walls thereof, and throw them down, but do not utterly destroy: take away the branches thereof, because they are not the Lord's.
עֲל֤וּ בְשָׁרוֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ וְשַׁחֵ֔תוּ וְכָלָ֖ה אַֽל־תַּעֲשׂ֑וּ הָסִ֙ירוּ֙ נְטִ֣ישׁוֹתֶ֔יהָ כִּ֛י ל֥וֹא לַיהוָ֖ה הֵֽמָּה׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Proclaim loudly. However, do not bring it to a conclusion. Allow a remnant of the city to remain, so that those taken captive might have a cause to return. Thus, it is foretold that when they witness those who do not completely devastate the place, they will recognize it not as an act of human compassion, but as a divine restriction.
Ascend against its barriers and bring them down, but do not annihilate it entirely. Shatter its supporting structures, for they are not from the Lord. For through treachery, both the house of Israel and the house of Judah have forsaken me, declares the Lord. Concerning the nations mentioned earlier, which the lion hunted from the forest, the wolf laid waste, and the leopard preyed upon in their towns, He commands that they approach the walls of Jerusalem and dismantle it, yet they must not leave it desolate, so that a remnant may be preserved and someone might proclaim among the nations the glory of God; He mingles grace with judgment.
By stating to destroy its supporting structures, He instructs that all allies lost due to their own failings should be removed, symbolizing the betrayal of God by the house of Israel and the house of Judah, representing both the ten tribes and the two tribes. The Church should take heed that the defenses of those without hope in the Lord and who remain unfaithful will soon face ruin; however, total destruction will not ensue due to the mercy of the Judge, nor based on the merit of the sinners.
However, you shall not bring it to completion; the pillars are to remain as they belong to the Lord. This also signifies the restoration and reconstruction of the temple. Furthermore, He foresees the reasons behind the tragic occurrences, indicating that by becoming lawless and showing ingratitude to their benefactor, they fell into arrogance, believing that these trials would not defeat them. For they proclaimed:
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS