Jeremiah 26:23
And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people. And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.
The account belongs to the reign of Jehoiakim, and its place in the book is not strictly chronological, since chapters concerning Zedekiah can appear before chapters from Jehoiakim's time. It is part of the record of Jeremiah's experiences in Judah, illustrating both the persecution of the prophet and the consequences of Judah's sin. Urijah was fetched out of Egypt and brought to Jehoiakim the king, who slew him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people. The word for graves is the Hebrew kever, denoting a physical burial place, distinct from sheol, which denotes the state of death. He was put to death for prophesying in the same manner as Jeremiah.
The verse exemplifies the rejection of the Lord's word of reproof, counsel, warning, and coming judgment; instead of repenting, the people persecuted the messenger. When Jeremiah warned Judah of coming judgment, the message was rejected and he was persecuted rather than heeded. Urijah's capture and execution shows the mortal danger faced by prophets who faithfully delivered God's warnings during apostasy. His death was part of a broader persecution of God's messengers that also included Jeremiah's imprisonment, beating, and threats of death, instigated by apostate prophets and priests.
Urijah's fate reveals Jehoiakim's readiness to punish those who proclaimed the truth, for he would have had Jeremiah and Baruch treated the same way.