ירמיהו, פרק כ״ג, פסוק ל״ח

True prophecy is meant to be received with reverence, but a profound failure occurs when a nation treats it with open contempt. The core of the rebuke centers on the people's stubborn use of mocking language toward the prophet. The primary approach among commentators is that the main sin is not twisting or altering the prophetic message itself. Instead, it is the people's insistence on sarcastically labeling God's message as a "burden." By doing so, they jokingly imply that His word is a heavy, bothersome weight rather than a divine guide [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

This behavior goes beyond mere disrespect and escalates into a direct rebellion against God. The people stubbornly continue their habit, repeating the offensive concept despite receiving clear instructions to stop [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. God had sent messengers specifically to warn them in the clearest terms to abandon this mocking language, yet they actively chose to ignore Him and refused to listen to His voice [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

As a result of this ongoing defiance, the people face an additional punishment. They are held accountable not only for their original scorn toward the prophecy but for deliberately violating an explicit divine command to change their speech [מלבי״ם, חומת אנך].