Add parallel Print Page Options

35 This is the message the Lord gave Jeremiah when Jehoiakim (son of Josiah) was the king of Judah:[a]

Go to the settlement where the families of the Rechabites live and invite them to the Temple. Take them into one of the inner rooms and offer them a drink of wine.

So I went over to see Jaazaniah (son of Jeremiah, who was the son of Habazziniah) and brought him and all his brothers and sons—representing all the Rechab families— to the Temple, into the room assigned for the use of the sons of Hanan the prophet (the son of Igdaliah). This room was located next to the one used by the palace official, directly above the room of Maaseiah (son of Shallum), who was the Temple doorman. I set cups and jugs of wine before them and invited them to have a drink, but they refused.

“No,” they said. “We don’t drink, for Jonadab our father (son of Rechab) commanded that none of us should ever drink, neither we nor our children forever. He also told us not to build houses or plant crops or vineyards and not to own farms, but always to live in tents; and that if we obeyed, we would live long, good lives in our own land. And we have obeyed him in all these things. We have never had a drink of wine since then, nor have our wives or our sons or daughters either. We haven’t built houses or owned farms or planted crops. 10 We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything that Jonadab our father commanded us. 11 But when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, arrived in this country, we were afraid and decided to move to Jerusalem. That’s why we are here.”

12 Then the Lord gave this message to Jeremiah:

13 The Lord, the God of Israel, says: Go and say to Judah and Jerusalem, Won’t you learn a lesson from the families of Rechab? 14 They don’t drink because their father told them not to. But I have spoken to you again and again, and you won’t listen or obey. 15 I have sent you prophet after prophet to tell you to turn back from your wicked ways and to stop worshiping other gods, and that if you obeyed, then I would let you live in peace here in the land I gave to you and your fathers. But you wouldn’t listen or obey. 16 The families of Rechab have obeyed their father completely, but you have refused to listen to me. 17 Therefore, the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Because you refuse to listen or answer when I call, I will send upon Judah and Jerusalem all the evil I have ever threatened.

18-19 Then Jeremiah turned to the Rechabites and said: “The Lord, the God of Israel, says that because you have obeyed your father in every respect, he shall always have descendants who will worship me.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 35:1 when Jehoiakim . . . was the king of Judah. This is apparently an early message of Jeremiah, and is not here in its chronological order with the other messages.

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: “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.”

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. 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) Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the Rekabites and said to them, “Drink some wine.”

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) 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.’ 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 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