ירמיהו, פרק מ׳, פסוק ב׳

A dramatic encounter unfolds between a conquering Babylonian commander and a captive Jewish prophet, where the enemy explicitly acknowledges the truth behind Jerusalem's downfall. Nebuzaradan serves as the chief executioner, a title reflecting his immense cruelty and his specific appointment to lead the brutal war against the city [אברבנאל]. Yet, despite his harsh nature and high rank, he personally removes Jeremiah from the masses of exiled captives [ביאור שטיינזלץ] and frees him from his chains [אברבנאל].

Upon releasing the prophet, the commander makes a striking declaration, acknowledging that God Himself decreed this disaster. He confirms his awareness that the severe prophecies Jeremiah delivered in God's name have now fully materialized [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Commentators explore the commander's motive for making such a statement. One perspective suggests he is trying to comfort the prophet, implying that Jeremiah should not feel sorrow for a people who stubbornly ignored his repeated warnings [רש״י]. Conversely, another approach views this as a calculated attempt by the commander to absolve himself of responsibility. He explains that the destruction was not a result of Babylonian military superiority, but rather a direct decree from God punishing the people for their sins. In doing so, he shifts the blame for the tragedy entirely onto the Judeans [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל]. From the Babylonian viewpoint, the primary sin of the Judeans was their refusal to follow God's command to surrender and submit to the king of Babylon [אברבנאל].

The Babylonian leadership was remarkably well-informed about Jeremiah's warnings. The primary approach among commentators is that news of the prophet's words reached them long before the city fell [רד״ק]. This intelligence was likely passed along by earlier groups of exiles, including the former Judean king and his officials, or by individuals who were already in contact with the Babylonian king [חומת אנך, אברבנאל]. Furthermore, the Babylonian leadership knew that Jeremiah had actively sent messages to neighboring kings urging them to surrender to Babylon. Ultimately, possessing this clear knowledge of the prophecies may have been the very reason the Babylonian king decided to attack Jerusalem in the first place, confident that the predicted destruction would indeed come to pass [אברבנאל].