The Prophets · Old Testament
Jeremiah 35
Jeremiah 35: the Rechabites who will not drink wine
General context
In the days of Jehoiakim the Lord tells Jeremiah to go to the house of the Rechabites, bring them into a chamber of the Lord's house and give them wine. Jeremiah takes Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habaziniah, with his brothers, sons and the whole house, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, near the princes' chamber and above that of Maaseiah the doorkeeper. He sets pots of wine and cups before them and tells them to drink. They refuse: Jonadab the son of Rechab, their father, commanded them never to drink wine, build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards, but to live in tents as strangers. They have kept all of it, with their wives, sons and daughters. Only when Nebuchadrezzar came up into the land did they move into Jerusalem for fear of the Chaldean and Syrian armies. The word of the Lord then comes: Jeremiah is to ask the men of Judah and Jerusalem whether they will receive instruction. Jonadab's words are performed to this day, while the Lord has spoken to them early and often and sent his prophets calling them to return, and they have not listened. Because the sons of Jonadab kept their father's command and this people has not heard, the Lord will bring on Judah and Jerusalem all the evil he has pronounced. To the Rechabites Jeremiah says that because they obeyed, Jonadab the son of Rechab will never lack a man to stand before the Lord.
Cited passages: Jeremiah 35:1, Jeremiah 35:2, Jeremiah 35:3, Jeremiah 35:4, Jeremiah 35:5, Jeremiah 35:6, Jeremiah 35:7, Jeremiah 35:8, Jeremiah 35:11, Jeremiah 35:13, Jeremiah 35:14, Jeremiah 35:15, Jeremiah 35:16, Jeremiah 35:17, Jeremiah 35:18, Jeremiah 35:19
Jeremiah 35 (KJV)
1The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,
2Go 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.
3Then 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;
4And 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:
5And 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.
6But 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:
7Neither 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.
8Thus 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;
9Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:
10But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
11But 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.
12Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,
13Thus 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.
14The 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.
15I 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.
16Because 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:
17Therefore 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.
18And 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:
19Therefore 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.
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Historical context
The chapter is dated to the days of Jehoiakim, after chapters set under Zedekiah, so the book's order here is not the order of reigns. Jaazaniah's father is named Jeremiah, a namesake, not the prophet who narrates. Jonadab the son of Rechab is called "our father" by the Rechabites, and his commands are known only through their quotation of them; a Jehonadab the son of Rechab appears earlier in the Bible meeting Jehu, and the chapter does not comment on the link. The Rechabites explain their presence in Jerusalem by fear of two armies, the Chaldeans and the Syrians. The chamber is located by three names, Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the princes and Maaseiah the son of Shallum the doorkeeper. The text does not say the Rechabites are Israelites, how long before this Jonadab lived, or what became of them after the chapter. The purpose of setting wine before them is not stated in advance; the Lord's word after their refusal supplies the meaning. The promise that Jonadab will not lack a man to stand before the Lord uses the same form as the promise to David and the priests in chapter 33.
Cited passages: Jeremiah 35:1, Jeremiah 34:1, Jeremiah 35:3, Jeremiah 35:6, 2 Kings 10:15, Jeremiah 35:11, Jeremiah 35:4, Jeremiah 35:7, Jeremiah 35:12, Jeremiah 35:19, Jeremiah 33:17
Literary context
The chapter is an acted comparison. Wine is set before a family and refused, and the refusal becomes the measure against which Judah is judged. The Lord's speech places one human father's command, kept for generations, beside his own words spoken "rising early and speaking" and ignored. The phrase "rising early" occurs twice, once for speaking and once for sending prophets. Verse 17 pairs two parallel complaints: spoken and not heard, called and not answered. Two outcomes follow the same "Therefore thus saith the Lord": the evil pronounced on Judah and a standing place for Jonadab's line. The Rechabites' own speech is long and detailed, listing everything they have not done, and their one departure from the rule, moving into the city, is explained by fear rather than by choice. Jeremiah narrates in the first person, taking them in and setting out the wine himself. The contrast is stated by the Lord and not left to the reader.
Cited passages: Jeremiah 35:5, Jeremiah 35:14, Jeremiah 35:15, Jeremiah 35:17, Jeremiah 35:19, Jeremiah 35:9, Jeremiah 35:10, Jeremiah 35:11, Jeremiah 35:3, Jeremiah 35:16
Key moments
- Give them wine (Jeremiah 35:2). The Lord tells Jeremiah to bring the Rechabites to the temple and offer wine.
- Pots of wine set out (Jeremiah 35:5). Jeremiah sets wine and cups before them and tells them to drink.
- We will drink no wine (Jeremiah 35:6). The Rechabites refuse, citing their father Jonadab's command.
- In Jerusalem for fear (Jeremiah 35:11). They explain that the Chaldean and Syrian armies drove them into the city.
- Jonadab's words performed (Jeremiah 35:14). The Lord contrasts the kept command with his own unheeded words.
- Evil pronounced on Judah (Jeremiah 35:17). Because the people have not answered, the pronounced evil will come.
- A man to stand before me (Jeremiah 35:19). Jonadab's line is promised a lasting place before the Lord.
For reflection
The Rechabites keep a rule about wine and tents for generations while Judah cannot keep the Lord's word. What makes an inherited family rule easier to hold than a message that asks for change?
People in this chapter
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