Jeremiah 35

Jeremiah 35:1-19 . PROPHECY IN THE REIGN OF JEHOIAKIM, WHEN THE CHALDEANS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SYRIANS AND MOABITES, INVADED JUDEA.

By the obedience of the Rechabites to their father, Jeremiah condemns the disobedience of the Jews to God their Father. The Holy Spirit has arranged Jeremiah's prophecies by the moral rather than the chronological connection. From the history of an event fifteen years before, the Jews, who had brought back their manumitted servants into bondage, are taught how much God loves and rewards obedience, and hates and punishes disobedience.

2. Rechabites--a nomadic tribe belonging to the Kenites of Hemath ( 1 Chronicles 2:55 ), of the family of Jethro, or Hobab, Moses' father-in-law ( Exodus 18:9 , &c. Numbers 10:29-32 Judges 1:16 ). They came into Canaan with the Israelites, but, in order to preserve their independence, chose a life in tents without a fixed habitation ( 1 Samuel 15:6 ). Besides the branch of them associated with Judah and extending to Amalek, there was another section at Kadesh, in Naphtali ( Judges 4:11 Judges 4:17 ). They seem to have been proselytes of the gate, Jonadab, son of Rechab, whose charge not to drink wine they so strictly obeyed, was zealous for God ( 2 Kings 10:15-23 ). The Nabatheans of Arabia observed the same rules [DIODORUS SICULUS, 19.94].
bring . . . into . . . house of . . . Lord--because there were suitable witnesses at hand there from among the priests and chief men, as also because he had the power immediately to address the people assembled there ( Jeremiah 35:13 ). It may have been also as a reproof of the priests, who drank wine freely, though commanded to refrain from it when in the discharge of their duties [CALVIN].
chambers--which were round about the temple, applied to various uses, for example, to contain the vestments, sacred vessels, &c.

3. Jaazaniah--the elder and chief of the clan.

4. man of God--a prophet ( Deuteronomy 33:1 , 1 Samuel 2:27 , 1 Kings 12:22 , 2 Kings 4:7 ), also "a servant of God" in general ( 1 Timothy 6:11 ), one not his own, but God's; one who has parted with all right in himself to give himself wholly to God ( 2 Timothy 3:17 ). He was so reverenced that none would call in question what was transacted in his chamber.
keeper of the door--Hebrew, "of the vessel." Probably the office meant is that of the priest who kept in charge the capitation money paid for the use of the temple and the votive offerings, such as silver vessels, &c. There were seven such keepers [GROTIUS]. Compare 2 Kings 12:9 , 25:18 , 1 Chronicles 9:18 1 Chronicles 9:19 , which support English Version.
I said . . . Drink--Jeremiah does not say, The Lord saith, Drink: for then they would have been bound to obey. Contrast the case in 1 Kings 13:7-26 .

6. Jonadab . . . our father--that is, forefather and director, three hundred years before ( 2 Kings 10:15 ). They were called Rechabites, not Jonadabites, having received their name from Rechab the father, previously to their adopting the injunctions of Jonadab his son. This case affords no justification for slavish deference to the religious opinions of the Christian fathers: for Jonadab's injunction only affected matters of the present life; moreover, it was not binding on their consciences, for they deemed it not unlawful to go to Jerusalem in the invasion ( Jeremiah 35:11 ). What is praised here is not the father's injunction, but the obedience of the sons [CALVIN].