ירמיהו, פרק י״ג, פסוק י״ח

God commands the prophet Jeremiah to deliver a heavy message of loss and surrender directly to the royal leadership [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The warning is aimed at the king and the leading royal woman, though there are different perspectives on her exact identity. Some identify her as the mother of King Jehoiachin, noting that historically, the two were exiled together at the very beginning of the nation's captivity [רש״י, רד״ק]. Others suggest the message is directed at the king's wife, the queen [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון], while some consider both possibilities as intended [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The instruction given to these monarchs is both physical and deeply symbolic. They are told to step down from their elevated thrones and take a lowly seat on the ground [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Conceptually, this is a demand to abandon their pride, accept their lowered status, and surrender to the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. They are urged to sit quietly in submission rather than engaging in a futile war [מלבי״ם].

The reason for this forced humility is that the crown of their greatness and authority has been completely removed [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This total loss of power applies to all royal figures, leaving them with no remaining authority. In their eventual exile, they received no special treatment; the king was thrown into prison just like any commoner [רד״ק]. Another perspective suggests that this loss refers to the collapse of the central state apparatus that the leadership heavily relied upon [מלבי״ם].

The absolute removal of their royal crown is emphasized to make it clear that their ruling power has been entirely stripped away [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, this fallen crown can also be understood as a human metaphor representing the people who were the true splendor of the kingdom. In this view, the glorious crown symbolizes the royal ministers, craftsmen, and skilled workers who were exiled alongside the leadership [מלבי״ם].