ירמיהו, פרק מ״ב, פסוק ד׳

Jeremiah accepts the role of mediator for the people, agreeing to seek divine guidance on their behalf. He commits to praying for them and delivering God's response with complete transparency, regardless of what that message might be. By confirming that he has listened to them, the prophet signals his full acceptance of their request. He declares his intention to turn to God specifically regarding their inquiry and wait for a reply [מצודת ציון]. Furthermore, he stresses that he will not hold back any information, ensuring that no detail of the divine response is omitted or hidden from them [מצודת דוד].

At first glance, a prophet's commitment to sharing God's complete message might seem obvious, raising the question of why Jeremiah feels the need to state it explicitly. This declaration actually serves to clarify both the nature of his mission and the type of answer the people should expect. First, it distinguishes his prophetic process from that of Moses, who could receive immediate divine responses. Jeremiah must pray and wait for God to reply. By making this promise, he assures the people that he will deliver only the exact words God places in his mouth, rather than offering his own personal political or strategic advice, which he could have easily provided on his own [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Additionally, the prophet confirms that he will pray exactly as the people requested, asking God to reveal the best route for them to travel down to Egypt. However, his firm promise to share the entire message acts as a subtle warning. He prepares them for the possibility that he will deliver the unvarnished truth, even if God's instruction completely contradicts their desire to leave and instead commands them to remain in the Land of Israel [מלבי״ם].