ירמיהו, פרק כ״ו, פסוק כ׳

The trial of Jeremiah reaches a tense moment after the elders of the people attempt to defend him. They rely on a historical precedent from the days of King Hezekiah, who listened to prophetic warnings rather than harming the messenger. However, a chilling counter-example is immediately introduced, one that is far more recent and places Jeremiah in immediate mortal danger.

The primary approach among commentators [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ, חומת אנך] is that this counter-argument is voiced directly by Jeremiah's opponents, namely the priests, false prophets, and wicked men present at the trial. They fiercely reject the defense offered by the elders, arguing that distant history under Hezekiah is irrelevant. Instead, they point to a terrifying recent event: the current monarch, King Jehoiakim, recently executed a man named Urijah who delivered the exact same warnings of doom. Their conclusion is deadly. Just as Urijah was put to death, Jeremiah must share the same fate. To strengthen their case, the accusers specifically highlight that Urijah was a well-known and established prophet who spoke in the name of God [מצודת דוד]. They argue that if Urijah's respected status could not save him from execution, Jeremiah's position should certainly not protect him.

In contrast to the idea that these words are shouted by an angry mob during the public trial, a different perspective suggests that this detail is actually a background note provided by the author [מלבי״ם]. According to this view, the narrative pauses the courtroom drama to help the reader understand the sheer magnitude of the threat against Jeremiah's life. The author steps in to clarify that the defense offered by the elders was ultimately fragile and unlikely to truly succeed. By noting that another prophet, Urijah, was actively preaching identical messages of destruction and was still murdered by the king, the narrator illustrates the harsh reality of the time and the inescapable danger surrounding Jeremiah.