ירמיהו, פרק מ״ג, פסוק ו׳

The migration to Egypt encompassed every remaining member of the community. This included the male and female slaves who had initially been allowed to stay in the land [מצודת דוד]. Together, they formed the exact remnant of the people that Nebuzaradan had previously left under the leadership of Gedaliah [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Among those taken on this journey were the prophet Jeremiah and Baruch son of Neriah. The primary approach among commentators is that both men were brought to Egypt entirely by force and against their will. The people insisted on taking them along because they believed the spiritual merit of the prophet and his companion would protect them on the dangerous road and during their stay in Egypt [חומת אנך].

This dynamic clarifies a harsh accusation the people had previously leveled against Baruch. They had claimed he was inciting Jeremiah to deliver them into the hands of the Chaldeans. In truth, the people did not genuinely suspect Baruch of harboring malicious intent or actively wanting to surrender them to the enemy. Rather, they assumed he had his own hidden motives for trying to delay their escape to Egypt. They argued that the direct consequence of this delay would inevitably be their capture and downfall by the Chaldean army [חומת אנך].