Jeremiah 35:1-7

The Obedience of the Rechabites

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of ¹Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:

2 "Go to the house of the ²Rechabites and speak with them and bring them to the house of the LORD, into one of ³the chambers; then offer them wine to drink."

3 So I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah and his brothers and all his sons and the whole house of the Rechabites.

4 I brought them to the house of the LORD into ⁴the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, ⁵the man of God, which was near ⁶the chamber of the officials, above ⁷the chamber of ⁸Maaseiah the son of Shallum, ⁹keeper of the threshold.

5 Then I set before the Rechabites pitchers full of wine, and cups, and I said to them, "Drink wine."

6 But they answered, "We will drink no wine, for ¹⁰Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, 'You shall not drink wine, neither you nor your sons forever.

7 You shall not build a house; you shall not sow seed; you shall not plant or have a vineyard; but you shall live in tents all your days, ¹¹that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.'

Jeremiah 35:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 35

In this chapter the disobedience of the people of the Jews unto God is aggravated by the obedience of the Rechabites to their father; and the one are threatened with the judgments of God upon them, and the other have a promise of the divine blessing. The time of this prophecy is observed; Jer 35:1; an order to bring the Rechabites into one of the chambers of the temple, which was done accordingly, Jer 35:2-4; wine is set before them to drink; which they refuse; alleging the command of their father to the contrary, Jer 35:5-7; which they had carefully and constantly obeyed in every part of it, excepting that which respects their dwelling in tents; for which they give a reason, Jer 35:8-11; by this instance of filial obedience to parents, the disobedience of the Jews towards their Father, which is in heaven, is aggravated; who, though he gave them laws and commandments, and sent his prophets to put them in mind of them, and exhort them to obedience, yet hearkened not to them, Jer 35:12-15; wherefore the Lord threatens to bring all the evil on them he had pronounced, Jer 35:16,17; and promises the sons of Rechab that there should be always some of them that should minister unto him, Jer 35:18,19.

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 25:1
• 2. 1 Chronicles 2:55
• 3. 1 Kings 6:5, 6; 1 Chronicles 9:26, 33
• 4. [See ver. 2 above]
• 5. [Deuteronomy 33:1]
• 6. [See ver. 2 above]
• 7. [See ver. 2 above]
• 8. Jeremiah 21:1; Jeremiah 29:25; Jeremiah 37:3
• 9. 2 Kings 12:9; 2 Kings 25:18
• 10. 2 Kings 10:15, 23
• 11. [Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:2, 3]