Jeremiah 35:2

2 "Go to the members of the Rechabite clan and talk to them. Then bring them into one of the rooms in the Temple and offer them some wine."

Jeremiah 35:2 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 35:2

Go unto the house of the Rechabites
Or "family" F3; these are the same with the Kenites, who descended from Hobab or Jethro, Moses's father in law, ( Judges 1:16 ) ( 4:11 ) ( 1 Chronicles 2:55 ) ; these, as their ancestors, became proselytes to Israel, and always continued with them, though a distinct people from them; these here had their name from Rechab, a famous man in his time among those people: and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the Lord;
into the temple; for they were worshippers of the true God, though foreigners and uncircumcised persons; and so might be admitted into places belonging to the temple: into one of the chambers;
of the temple, where there were many; some for the sanhedrim to sit in; others for the priests to lay up their garments and the vessels of the sanctuary in; and others for the prophets and their disciples to converse in together about religious matters: and give them wine to drink;
set it before them, and invite them to drink of it, and thereby try their steady obedience to their father's commands. Now this family was brought to the temple either in vision, as it seemed to the prophet; or really, which latter is most probable; and that for this reason, that this affair might be transacted publicly, and many might he witnesses of it, and take the rebuke given by it; and, as some think, to reproach the priests for their intemperance.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 (tyb la) "ad familiam", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Jeremiah 35:2 In-Context

1 When Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah, the Lord said to me,
2 "Go to the members of the Rechabite clan and talk to them. Then bring them into one of the rooms in the Temple and offer them some wine."
3 So I took the entire Rechabite clan - Jaazaniah (the son of another Jeremiah, who was Habazziniah's son) and all his brothers and sons -
4 and brought them to the Temple. I took them into the room of the disciples of the prophet Hanan son of Igdaliah. This room was above the room of Maaseiah son of Shallum, an important official in the Temple, and near the rooms of the other officials.
5 Then I placed cups and bowls full of wine before the Rechabites, and I said to them, "Have some wine."
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.