ירמיהו, פרק י״א, פסוק ז׳

The relationship between God and the Israelites rests on a continuous, consistent call for obedience. The true foundation of their covenant does not rely on any specific detail, but rather on a fundamental agreement to accept God's word and listen to His voice [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

To ensure this covenant was taken seriously, God issued formal cautions to the people. These warnings are rooted in the concept of bearing witness, because a formal caution is typically delivered in the presence of witnesses so the warned party can never deny receiving the message later on [מצודת ציון]. This caution was never a brief or occasional reminder. It began the moment the Israelites left Egypt and continued without interruption through every single generation [רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. The sheer persistence of this message is reflected in the eagerness of delivering it early. God sent His prophets to warn the people every morning, day after day, without a single pause [מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד, רד״ק].

This constant demand to listen to God's voice also clarifies how past generations failed. The rebellion of the ancestors was primarily passive. They simply did not want to listen and failed to perform the Commandments they were given. This passive neglect highlights a sharp difference between the early ancestors and the people of Jeremiah's own time, whose sins were far more severe and actively destructive [מלבי״ם].