ירמיהו, פרק כ״ט, פסוק כ״ו

A direct message is delivered to Zephaniah, the man appointed to serve as the chief priest, or High Priest, replacing Jehoiada. The instruction outlines a strict protocol for maintaining order within the Temple walls, specifically targeting those who claim to speak on behalf of God.

Interestingly, the opponents of the true prophets still recognized God as the ultimate source of authority and the primary cause of all things. Even as they denied authentic prophecy, they deliberately used God's name to validate their harsh accusations [רד״ק].

Zephaniah is instructed to appoint dedicated officials to supervise the Temple. Their primary duty is to monitor the grounds for anyone acting like a madman claiming to be a prophet. These are individuals who invent wild ideas from their own imaginations and present them as divine messages. However, the opponents of the true prophets would often use this very term, labeling an authentic prophet as a madman in order to mock and discredit him [רד״ק, מצודת דוד].

Once such a person is identified, Zephaniah is expected to issue a direct order for the Temple guards to punish and confine the individual. The commentators agree that the required methods of punishment refer to harsh imprisonment and physical restraint. The first method is understood to be a specific type of prison, though some describe it as an actual instrument of torture. The second method involves either a wooden stock designed to lock and bind the prisoner's hands, or an additional form of a highly restrictive prison cell.