ירמיהו, פרק כ״ו, פסוק ח׳

Delivering a severe divine warning can instantly ignite a fierce and dangerous backlash. As soon as Jeremiah finishes sharing God's message, likely crying it out in a loud voice, a sudden and widespread uprising erupts against him [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The crowd quickly resorts to violence, seizing him with intense physical force [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון].

This rebellion spans all levels of society and leadership, with each faction driven by its own specific motives. The priests step in based on their official duty to maintain order within the Temple. At the same time, the other prophets oppose Jeremiah because his warnings directly contradict the vision of freedom and national independence they have been promoting to the public [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The participation of the general public in demanding Jeremiah's execution reveals a deeper complexity. The masses do not rally behind the priests out of disbelief. They do not view Jeremiah as a false prophet who invented these warnings; rather, they fully accept that God truly sent him. Their desire to kill him, completely bypassing the bounds of justice, comes purely from an urge to silence his voice. Because they refuse to listen to God's rebukes, they hope to eliminate the messenger entirely so that no one is left to warn them [מלבי״ם].

Consequently, the crowd's call for his death is not an empty curse or a passing moment of anger. It is an absolute, practical decision that the mob fully intends to carry out right away [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].