ירמיהו, פרק כ״ט, פסוק כ״ט

A malicious letter arrives from Babylon to Jerusalem, designed to silence and restrict Jeremiah. However, the situation takes an unexpected turn when the letter is read directly to the prophet. The priest who receives the message is actually a friend of Jeremiah. He has no intention of punishing the prophet or carrying out the harsh demands written in the document. Instead, he reads it aloud simply to share the contents and show Jeremiah what certain exiles in Babylon are currently thinking about him [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Although Jeremiah is the one recording this event, he writes about himself in the third person. This is a standard biblical style where the author describes a personal experience as if speaking about someone else [מצודת דוד]. In the broader flow of events, this specific moment serves as a brief pause in the narrative, marking the exact instant when God gives Jeremiah His next prophetic message [מלבי״ם].

The public reading of this letter carries severe consequences for its sender, Shemaiah. The very fact that these words are read aloud highlights a deep arrogance and reveals a dangerous shift, showing that the people are beginning to take Shemaiah's false prophecies seriously. Because of this brazen disrespect toward a true prophet and the spread of lies, Shemaiah's punishment is firmly decreed the moment the letter is finished [מלבי״ם].