Gather pieces in it, every good piece, thigh and shoulder; fill it even with the choicest bones.

The pieces of flesh put into the pot would picture those inside Jerusalem, including the refugees that fled to it from before the advancing Babylonian armies. The good pieces put in would picture those of the better social class of the city, especially the king and his princes. Since the bones make up the framework that supports the fleshly body, the “choicest bones” would picture those that held up the structure of the national organism, namely, the military commanders and their staff of officers. All were to “cook” during the siege.