ירמיהו, פרק כ״ה, פסוק ג׳

A prophet's mission is often marked by a tireless struggle against a stubborn audience. Jeremiah offers a brief, deeply personal reflection on his long career, highlighting the shared, exhausting effort between God, who sends the message, and the prophet, who delivers it to a people with closed hearts.

The period of twenty-three years reflects a precise historical timeline agreed upon by commentators. King Josiah ruled for thirty-one years, and Jeremiah began his prophetic mission during the thirteenth year of that reign. This accounts for nineteen years of prophecy under Josiah. Since this specific message is delivered during the fourth year of King Jehoiakim, Josiah's son, it totals exactly twenty-three years of continuous service.

Throughout this long era, the prophet operated with intense dedication and urgency. He maintained a constant state of diligence and persistence, quickly rising time and again to share God's word without pause [רש"י, מצודות]. His phrasing uniquely merges two distinct concepts: the endless, repetitive nature of the warnings, and the deeply personal, active role he took upon himself [מלבי"ם].

Yet, despite over two decades of relentless work, the outcome is tragically disappointing. The sad reality is that all of this continuous effort had almost no impact, as the people simply refused to listen [ביאור שטיינזלץ, מלבי"ם].