ירמיהו, פרק ל״ד, פסוק כ״א

A severe judgment looms over the leadership of the Kingdom of Judah, linking their impending destruction to a profound failure of morality and faith. The primary approach among commentators is that the Babylonian army had recently lifted its siege and temporarily retreated from Jerusalem. They withdrew upon hearing that Pharaoh's army had marched from Egypt to assist Judah. However, this withdrawal is only an illusion of safety. The warning stands that the retreat is brief, and the Babylonians will inevitably return to conquer and destroy the city. The various descriptions of the attackers as enemies, those seeking their lives, and the Babylonian army do not refer to separate forces. Rather, they repeat to emphasize the relentless nature of this single, unified threat [מצודת דוד].

The harsh punishment decreed upon the nation and its leaders stems from a specific sin: the refusal to set their Hebrew slaves free. This refusal goes far beyond a simple social injustice. It represents a direct rejection of two foundational pillars of faith: the creation of the world and the Exodus from Egypt. Releasing a slave in the seventh year mirrors God resting on the seventh day of creation. Furthermore, it serves as a reminder that God brought the Israelites out of Egypt so that they would serve Him alone, rather than being enslaved to one another. Therefore, anyone who refuses to free their slave effectively denies the miracles of the Exodus and the act of creation, a denial that ultimately brings about destruction and exile [צאינה וראינה].

The king himself bears severe personal responsibility for this crisis. Even though King Zedekiah did not personally participate in the corrupt covenant ceremony where the people broke their commitment to free the slaves, he possessed the authority to protest and put an end to the act. Because he chose to remain silent and did not object, he carries the full weight of responsibility for the actions of the nation [מלבי״ם].