Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 29:22

"and of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captives of Judah that are in Babylon, saying, Jehovah make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;" — Jeremiah 29:22 (ASV)

A curse - There is a play on words here, which was probably the reason that the death of these men became a proverb. One of them was named Ben-Kolaiah; and they are to be made a curse (קללה qelâlâh), because Nebuchadnezzar had roasted (קלה qâlâh) them. Compare the marginal reference note.