ירמיהו, פרק י״א, פסוק כ״א

The people of Anathoth, Jeremiah's own hometown, present him with a clear ultimatum in a desperate bid to silence his prophecies. Their hostility does not stem from any personal dispute or private argument. Rather, they persecute him entirely because of his prophetic mission [מלבי״ם]. The townspeople claim that his constant warnings give their city a bad reputation, actively damaging both its security and its local economy [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Driven by this resentment, they seek to take his life [מצודת דוד]. They openly threaten him, demanding that he stop prophesying in the name of God, warning that only his silence will save him from dying at their hands [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

This open hostility presents a logical difficulty. Earlier, Jeremiah mentioned that God had to reveal their plot to him, which implies a secret conspiracy rather than a public ultimatum. In truth, Jeremiah initially dismissed their direct threats. He viewed their warnings as mere scare tactics and exaggeration, assuming his neighbors would never dare to murder him out in the open. Because of this, God stepped in to expose the true, hidden danger. The people of Anathoth were actually planning a covert assassination. They intended to use a slow-acting poison that would not kill him immediately. Instead, the toxin was designed to take effect after eight to ten days. By doing so, Jeremiah's death would appear entirely natural, allowing his murderers to escape any suspicion [רד״ק].