Jeremiah 35:2

2 "Go to the family of Recab. Invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the Temple of the Lord, and offer them wine to drink."

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 spoke his word to Jeremiah, saying:
2 "Go to the family of Recab. Invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the Temple of the Lord, and offer them wine to drink."
3 So I went to get Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah. And I gathered all of Jaazaniah's brothers and sons and the whole family of the Recabites together.
4 Then I brought them into the Temple of the Lord. We went into the room of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, who was a man of God. The room was next to the one where the officers stay and above the room of Maaseiah son of Shallum, the doorkeeper in the Temple.
5 Then I put some bowls full of wine and some cups before the men of the Recabite family. And I said to them, "Drink some wine."
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.