ירמיהו, פרק כ״ט, פסוק כ״ב

Public leaders and prophets serve as a polished mirror for society. The people look up to them and naturally imitate their actions. Because of this heavy influence, God chose to make a profound example out of the false prophets, transforming them into the ultimate symbol of the cursed. Their downfall was so complete that their very names became a common phrase of cursing among the exiles in Babylon [חומת אנך].

Whenever individuals wanted to wish harm upon someone else, they would invoke this specific formula, asking God to make their enemy like Zedekiah and Ahab [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. To further emphasize this disgrace, the written record of Ahab's name is deliberately diminished, serving as an eternal mark of humiliation for his terrible deeds [רד״ק, מנחת שי].

The brutal fate they suffered at the hands of the king of Babylon cemented their lasting infamy. The primary approach among commentators is that their execution was not a quick, ordinary death by fire. Instead, they were subjected to severe agony, enduring a slow and torturous execution of being roasted alive [ביאור שטיינזלץ].