I double-checked on the background of this section because it has God sending Jeremiah to the king to warn, "If you are careful to carry out [God's] commands, then kings who sit on David's throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people. But if you do not obey these commands, declares the LORD, I swear by myself that this palace will become a ruin."
It seemed funny that God was giving one last chance even as Babylon was laying siege outside the gates and after God had told the people that there would be "no mercy or pity or compassion" (21:3-7). The People's Bible commentary on Jeremiah confirms that this section probably should have been placed at an earlier point than where the editor put it. Although it seems logical since chapter 22 follows 21, the commentary says chapters 1-20 of Jeremiah give a comprehensive overview of Jeremiah's messages and then the next nine chapters revisit various parts of Jeremiah's ministry in more detail.
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