Jeremiah 35

King James Version

Full text for Jeremiah Chapter 35

1¶ The 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.

12¶ Then 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The LORD commanded Jeremiah to offer wine to the Rechabites in the temple, but they steadfastly refused, citing their ancestor Jonadab's perpetual command to abstain from wine and live a nomadic life. The LORD then used their unwavering obedience to a human command to highlight Judah's profound disobedience to His divine instructions. Consequently, the LORD promised judgment for Judah and an enduring blessing for the faithful Rechabites.

Medium Summary

In the days of King Jehoiakim, the LORD instructed Jeremiah to bring the Rechabites into the temple and offer them wine. Jeremiah complied, but the Rechabites steadfastly refused, explaining that their ancestor, Jonadab son of Rechab, had commanded their descendants to abstain from wine, not to build houses, sow seed, or plant vineyards, but to dwell in tents perpetually. They recounted their faithful adherence to these precepts for generations, even their temporary dwelling in Jerusalem being due to fear of invading armies. The LORD then contrasted the Rechabites' unwavering obedience to their human father's command with the people of Judah's persistent disobedience to His own divine words, despite His repeated warnings through prophets. Consequently, the LORD declared that Judah would face the pronounced evils due to their refusal to hearken. Conversely, the LORD promised the Rechabites an enduring lineage, ensuring that Jonadab would always have a descendant to serve before Him, as a reward for their faithfulness.

Long Summary

During the reign of King Jehoiakim, the prophet Jeremiah received a divine instruction from the LORD to gather the house of the Rechabites and bring them into a chamber within the house of the LORD. There, Jeremiah was to set before them pots of wine and cups, and instruct them to drink. However, when presented with the wine, the Rechabites firmly refused, explaining their ancestral vow. They declared that Jonadab, the son of Rechab, their forefather, had commanded them and their descendants to abstain from wine forever. Furthermore, Jonadab had instructed them never to build houses, sow seed, plant vineyards, or possess such things, but rather to dwell in tents throughout their lives, so that they might live long in the land as strangers. The Rechabites testified that they had faithfully obeyed all these commands from Jonadab, including their wives, sons, and daughters, for generations. They acknowledged that their current dwelling in Jerusalem was a temporary measure, forced upon them by the advance of the Chaldean and Syrian armies. Following this demonstration, the word of the LORD came again to Jeremiah, addressing the people of Judah and Jerusalem. The LORD used the Rechabites' exemplary obedience to a human command as a powerful object lesson, contrasting it sharply with Judah's consistent failure to heed His divine words. He lamented that He had spoken to them repeatedly, rising early and sending His servants the prophets, urging them to turn from their evil ways and idolatry, but they had not listened. Because the sons of Jonadab had performed their father's commandment, while Judah had not hearkened to the LORD, divine judgment was pronounced. The LORD declared that He would bring upon Judah and Jerusalem all the evil He had foretold, because they had not heard His words nor answered His call. In contrast, the LORD bestowed a blessing upon the house of the Rechabites for their unwavering obedience to Jonadab's precepts, promising that Jonadab the son of Rechab would never lack a man to stand before Him forever.

Core Concepts

  • Rechabite ObedienceThe Rechabites demonstrated unwavering obedience to the commands of their ancestor Jonadab, steadfastly refusing wine and adhering to a nomadic lifestyle for generations. This faithfulness served as a powerful example in the chapter.
  • Ancestral VowJonadab the son of Rechab established a perpetual vow for his descendants, prohibiting wine consumption, house building, and agriculture, requiring them to dwell in tents. This vow was meticulously kept by the Rechabites.
  • Judah's DisobedienceThe people of Judah are highlighted as disobedient to the LORD's commands, failing to hearken to His words delivered through prophets, in stark contrast to the Rechabites' faithfulness to a human command.
  • Divine ContrastThe LORD intentionally used the Rechabites' steadfast adherence to Jonadab's precepts to illustrate and condemn Judah's persistent refusal to obey His own divine instructions and warnings.
  • Consequences of DisobedienceDue to Judah's unheeding nature and failure to repent, the LORD declared that He would bring upon them the prophesied evils and judgment.
  • Enduring BlessingAs a reward for their exemplary obedience, the LORD promised the Rechabites an enduring lineage, ensuring that Jonadab would always have a descendant to "stand before me forever."
  • Prophetic WarningThe chapter underscores the LORD's consistent efforts to warn Judah through His prophets, "rising early and speaking," urging them to repent and return from their evil ways.