For many years Jeremiah had stood before the people as a faithful witness for God; and now, as the fated city was about to pass into the hands of the heathen, he considered his work done and attempted to leave, but was prevented by a son of one of the false prophets, who reported 454 that Jeremiah was about to join the Babylonians, to whom he had repeatedly urged the men of Judah to submit. The prophet denied the lying charge, but nevertheless "the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison." Verse 15.

Jeremias havde i mange år stået over for folket som Guds trofaste vidne, og nu, da den ulykkelige by var lige ved at falde i hedningernes hænder, betragtede han sit arbejde som afsluttet og forsøgte at forlade byen. Der var imidlertid en af de falske profeters sønner, der sagde, at Jeremias ville slutte sig til babylonerne; han havde jo gentagne gange opfordret judæerne til at underkaste sig denne nation. Profeten benægtede denne usande påstand, men "fyrsterne vrededes på Jeremias, slog ham og lod ham bringe til statsskriveren Jonatans hus; thi det havde de gjort til fængsel." 15. vers.