ירמיהו, פרק ו׳, פסוק י״ח

A prophetic call serves as a public declaration to justify God's impending judgment. By summoning witnesses and exposing the sins of the people, the coming punishment is presented as a just consequence rather than an arbitrary disaster. The message first turns outward, calling upon the nations of the world to hear the warning [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This call may also be directed at a very specific audience: the exact nations God has appointed to discipline and punish Israel [מלבי״ם].

The focus then shifts inward to an assembly, though commentators offer different ways to understand who or what is being addressed. The primary approach views this as a call to a congregation. This can be understood as a direct plea to the people of Israel themselves, urging them to recognize their own corrupt internal state [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ], or as a broad address to any gathered assembly [מצודת דוד].

However, another perspective shifts the concept from a physical gathering to the idea of testimony and warning [מלבי״ם]. In this view, there is a demand to acknowledge the prior warnings given to the people, proving that God's punishment does not arrive without fair notice. Taking this a step further, the earth itself is called upon to act as a witness, testifying against the actions of the people [מלבי״ם].

Ultimately, these witnesses are summoned to observe the deep-seated evil and sin present among the people, from the youngest to the oldest. Continuing the theme of testimony, [מלבי״ם] explains that the focus remains on the actual warnings witnessed against the nation. Acknowledging this testimony makes it clear that the coming disaster is simply the fruit of their own evil thoughts and their stubborn refusal to listen to the Torah and the prophets.