ירמיהו, פרק ל״ח, פסוק כ״ו

A secret meeting between a monarch and a prophet requires a careful cover story to keep suspicious officials in the dark. The King instructs Jeremiah on exactly how to hide the true nature of their private conversation.

Rather than revealing the actual topics they discussed, Jeremiah must present the meeting as a purely personal matter. He is told to tell the officials that he was simply begging for his life and asking for better prison conditions [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The prophet is to explain that he was submitting an urgent, humble plea for mercy before the King [מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד].

The specific cover story provided by the King centers on a very real fear. Jeremiah is to claim that he begged not to be sent back to the house of Jonathan, the site of his original imprisonment. This location was known for its severe distress and harsh conditions, and the prophet was to express a deep fear that returning there would inevitably lead to his death [מצודת דוד].