ירמיהו, פרק מ׳, פסוק ט״ז

A leader's failure to recognize danger can sometimes stem from an overly trusting nature. Stepping into a critical role of authority, Gedaliah displays a level of naivety that blinds him to the brewing threats around him. He completely dismisses the urgent warnings brought to him by Johanan, instructing him to stand down and not interfere. Instead of investigating the plot, Gedaliah is convinced that Johanan is simply inventing false accusations. Even though they stand on opposite sides of a political divide, Gedaliah holds onto the belief that Ishmael is fundamentally a decent and honorable officer [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

In his firm rejection of the warning, Gedaliah accuses Johanan of spreading outright lies. He insists that the claims being brought forward are entirely fabricated falsehoods spoken about Ishmael, firmly shutting down the conversation and leaving himself completely exposed to the impending betrayal [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].