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  • Jeremiah Chapter 35

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Rekab's descendants

35 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah when Josiah's son Jehoiakim ruled Judah as king. 2 He said, ‘Go to the place where Rekab's descendants live. Ask them to come to the Lord 's temple. Take them into one of the temple's small rooms. Give to them some wine to drink.’

3 So I went to meet with Rekab's descendants. They were Jaazaniah, son of Jeremiah and grandson of Habazziniah. [ a ] I also met with Jaazaniah's brothers and all his sons. Those were all the descendants of Rekab. 4 I took them to the Lord 's temple. I took them into the room where the disciples of the prophet Hanan lived. He was the son of Igdaliah. That room was next to the room where the temple officers lived. It was also above the room where Shallum's son Maaseiah lived. He was one of the guards for the doors of the temple. 5 I put some jars of wine and some cups in front of Rekab's descendants. I said to them, ‘Drink some wine.’

6 They replied, ‘We do not drink wine. Our ancestor Jonadab, son of Rekab, said to us, “You and your descendants must never drink wine. 7 You must not build houses. You must not plant seed in fields to grow crops. You must not plant vines or have a vineyard. Instead, you must always live in tents. If you live in that way, you will live for a long time as you travel around in the land.”

8 We have obeyed all the rules that our ancestor Jonadab gave to us. Our wives and our children have also obeyed them. We have never drunk wine. 9 We have never built houses to be our homes. We have no fields or vineyards and we grow no crops. 10 We have always lived in tents. So we have completely obeyed our ancestor Jonadab. We have done everything that he commanded us to do. 11 But when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked our land, we decided to come to Jerusalem. We said, “We must leave here and go to Jerusalem. We must escape from the armies of Babylon and Syria.” That is why we are now living in Jerusalem.’

12 Then the Lord gave this message to Jeremiah. 13 The Lord Almighty, Israel's God, said to him, ‘Go and speak to the people of Judah, including those who live in Jerusalem. Tell them that I, the Lord , say this: “Learn a lesson about how you should obey me! 14 Rekab's son Jonadab commanded his descendants that they must not drink wine. They have obeyed his command. Even now, they have never drunk wine because their ancestor told them not to do that. But as for you, I have spoken to you very many times and you have not obeyed me! 15 I have sent my servants the prophets to warn you many times. They told you, ‘You must all stop doing wicked things. Instead, start doing the things that are right. Do not serve other gods and worship them. Then you will continue to live in this land that I gave to you and to your ancestors.’ But you did not listen to my message. You did not obey me. 16 The descendants of Rekab's son Jonadab obeyed the commands that their ancestor gave to them. But as for you, my people, you have not obeyed me.”

17 So the Lord Almighty, Israel's God, says, “Listen to me! I will soon punish the people of Judah and Jerusalem with all the things that I warned them about. I spoke to them, but they did not listen. I called out to them, but they did not answer. So now I will punish them.” ’

18 Then Jeremiah said to Rekab's descendants, ‘The Lord Almighty, Israel's God, says, “You have completely obeyed the commands of your ancestor Jonadab. You have done everything that he told you to do.” 19 So the Lord Almighty, Israel's God, also says, “There will always be a male descendant of Rekab's son Jonadab who will live to serve me.” ’

Footnotes

  1. 35:3 This was a different man who was called Jeremiah. He was not the prophet Jeremiah.

The Recabite Family’s Good Example

35 During the time when Jehoiakim, son of King Josiah, was king of Judah, the Lord spoke this message to Jeremiah: 2 “Go to the Recabite family [ a ] and invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the Lord ’s Temple. Offer them wine to drink.”

3 So I went to get Jaazaniah [ b ] son of Jeremiah, [ c ] who was the son of Habazziniah. And I got all of Jaazaniah’s brothers and sons and the whole family of the Recabites together. 4 Then I brought them into the Temple of the Lord . We went into the room of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah. Hanan was a man of God. [ d ] The room was next to the room where the princes of Judah stay. It was over the room of Maaseiah son of Shallum. Maaseiah was the doorkeeper in the Temple. 5 Then I put some bowls full of wine and some cups in front of the Recabite family. And I said to them, “Drink some wine.”

6 But the Recabite family answered, “We never drink wine. We never drink it because our ancestor Jonadab son of Recab gave us this command: ‘You and your descendants must never drink wine. 7 Also you must never build houses, plant seeds, or plant vineyards. You must never do any of those things. You must live only in tents. If you do that, you will live a long time in the land where you move from place to place.’ 8 So we have obeyed everything our ancestor Jonadab commanded us. None of us ever drinks wine, and neither do our wives, sons, or daughters. 9 We never build houses to live in, we never own vineyards or fields, and we never plant crops. 10 We have lived in tents and have obeyed everything our ancestor Jonadab commanded us. 11 But when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked the country of Judah, we did go into Jerusalem. We said to each other, ‘Come, we must enter the city of Jerusalem so that we can escape the Babylonian army and the Aramean army.’ So we have stayed in Jerusalem.”

12 Then this message from the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “The Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says to go to the people of Judah and Jerusalem and tell them this message: ‘You should learn a lesson and obey my message.’ This message is from the Lord . 14 ‘Jonadab son of Recab ordered his sons not to drink wine, and that command has been obeyed. To this day the descendants of Jonadab have obeyed their ancestor’s command. They do not drink wine. But I have given commands to you people of Judah again and again, and you have not obeyed me. 15 Time after time I have sent my servants the prophets to you. They said, “You must each stop doing evil things and do what is right. Don’t follow other gods. Don’t worship or serve them. If you obey me, you will live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you have not paid attention to my message. 16 The descendants of Jonadab obeyed the commands that their ancestor gave them, but the people of Judah have not obeyed me.’

17 “So this is what the Lord God All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says: ‘I said that many bad things would happen to Judah and Jerusalem. I will soon make all those bad things happen. I spoke to the people, but they refused to listen. I called out to them, but they didn’t answer me.’”

18 Then Jeremiah said to the Recabite family, “This is what the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed the commands of your ancestor Jonadab. You have followed all of his teachings. You have done everything he commanded.’ 19 So the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says: ‘There will always be a descendant of Jonadab son of Recab to serve me.’”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 35:2 Recabite family A group of people descended from Jonadab son of Recab. The family was very loyal to the Lord. See 2 Kings 10:15-28 for the story of Jonadab. Also in verses 6, 18.
  2. Jeremiah 35:3 Jaazaniah He was the head of the Recabite family at that time.
  3. Jeremiah 35:3 Jeremiah This is not the prophet Jeremiah, but a different man with the same name.
  4. Jeremiah 35:4 man of God This is usually an honorable title for a prophet. We know nothing else about Hanan.

35 The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,

2 Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the Lord , into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.

3 Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habaziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites;

4 And I brought them into the house of the Lord , into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door:

5 And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine.

6 But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:

7 Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers.

8 Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;

9 Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:

10 But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.

11 But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem.

12 Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,

13 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the Lord .

14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.

15 I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.

16 Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me:

17 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.

18 And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you:

19 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.

The Rechabites’ Obedience

35 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of ( A ) Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, 2 “Go to the house of the ( B ) Rechabites and speak to them, and bring them into the house of the Lord , into one of the ( C ) chambers, and give them wine to drink.” 3 So I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons, and all the household of the Rechabites, 4 and I brought them into the house of the Lord , into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the ( D ) man of God, which was next to the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, ( E ) the doorkeeper. 5 Then I set before the [ a ] men of the house of the Rechabites pitchers full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, “ ( F ) Drink wine!” 6 But they said, “We will not drink wine, for ( G ) Jonadab the son of ( H ) Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall ( I ) not drink wine, you or your sons, forever. 7 You shall not build a house, and you shall not sow seed nor plant a vineyard, nor [ b ] own one; but you shall live in ( J ) tents all your days, so that you may live ( K ) many days [ c ] in the land where you ( L ) live as strangers.’ 8 And we have ( M ) obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, 9 nor to build ourselves houses to live in; and we ( N ) do not have a vineyard, a field, or seed. 10 But we have ( O ) lived only in tents, and have obeyed and have done according to all that our father ( P ) Jonadab commanded us. 11 However, when ( Q ) Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come, and let’s ( R ) go to Jerusalem away from the army of the Chaldeans and the army of the Arameans.’ So we have lived in Jerusalem.”

Judah Rebuked

12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 13 “This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Go and say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “ ( S ) Will you not accept instruction by listening to My words?” declares the Lord . 14 “The ( T ) words of Jonadab the son of Rechab have been followed, which he commanded his sons: not to drink wine. And they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. But I have spoken to you ( U ) again and again, yet you have ( V ) not listened to Me. 15 Also I have sent to you all My ( W ) servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying: ‘ ( X ) Turn now every person from his evil way and amend your deeds, and ( Y ) do not follow other gods to worship them. Then you will ( Z ) live in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not ( AA ) inclined your ear or listened to Me. 16 Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have ( AB ) followed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.’”’ 17 Therefore this is what the Lord says, the God of armies, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, ( AC ) I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I ( AD ) spoke to them but they did not listen, and I have called them but they did not answer.’”

18 Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Because you have ( AE ) obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands, and done according to all that he commanded you, 19 therefore this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Jonadab the son of Rechab ( AF ) will not lack a man to ( AG ) stand before Me [ d ] always.”’”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 35:5 Lit sons
  2. Jeremiah 35:7 Lit shall it be to you
  3. Jeremiah 35:7 Lit on the face of the
  4. Jeremiah 35:19 Lit all the days

The Rekabites

35 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord during the reign of Jehoiakim ( A ) son of Josiah king of Judah: 2 “Go to the Rekabite ( B ) family and invite them to come to one of the side rooms ( C ) of the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink.”

3 So I went to get Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons—the whole family of the Rekabites. 4 I brought them into the house of the Lord , into the room of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah the man of God. ( D ) It was next to the room of the officials, which was over that of Maaseiah son of Shallum ( E ) the doorkeeper. ( F ) 5 Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the Rekabites and said to them, “Drink some wine.”

6 But they replied, “We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jehonadab [ a ] ( G ) son of Rekab gave us this command: ‘Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine. ( H ) 7 Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents. ( I ) Then you will live a long time in the land ( J ) where you are nomads.’ 8 We have obeyed everything our forefather ( K ) Jehonadab son of Rekab commanded us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine 9 or built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields or crops. ( L ) 10 We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab commanded us. 11 But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded ( M ) this land, we said, ‘Come, we must go to Jerusalem ( N ) to escape the Babylonian [ b ] and Aramean armies.’ So we have remained in Jerusalem.”

12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: 13 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell ( O ) the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘Will you not learn a lesson ( P ) and obey my words?’ declares the Lord . 14 ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab ordered his descendants not to drink wine and this command has been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their forefather’s command. ( Q ) But I have spoken to you again and again, ( R ) yet you have not obeyed ( S ) me. 15 Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets ( T ) to you. They said, “Each of you must turn ( U ) from your wicked ways and reform ( V ) your actions; do not follow other gods ( W ) to serve them. Then you will live in the land ( X ) I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you have not paid attention or listened ( Y ) to me. 16 The descendants of Jehonadab son of Rekab have carried out the command their forefather ( Z ) gave them, but these people have not obeyed me.’

17 “Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster ( AA ) I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen; ( AB ) I called to them, but they did not answer.’” ( AC )

18 Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Rekabites, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed the command of your forefather ( AD ) Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.’ 19 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail ( AE ) to have a descendant to serve ( AF ) me.’”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 35:6 Hebrew Jonadab , a variant of Jehonadab ; here and often in this chapter
  2. Jeremiah 35:11 Or Chaldean