Geremia 35:9

9 non edifichiamo case per abitarvi, non abbiamo vigna, campo, né sementa;

Geremia 35:9 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 35:9

Nor build houses for us to dwell in
This explains that part of the charge more fully, which respects building of houses; which did not restrain them from building houses for others, if any of them were masters of that art; which is not very likely, since they were wholly brought up in the field as shepherds; but it forbad them building any for themselves, and making use of them by dwelling in them: neither have we vineyard, nor field, or seed;
any piece of ground planted with vines, or field sown with corn, or any seed to sow with; so exactly conformable were they to the prescriptions of their ancestor. Diodorus Siculus ^F7 reports of the Nabatheans, a people of Arabia, descended from Nebaioth, see ( Isaiah 60:7 ) ; that they have several laws which are much the same with those enjoined the Rechabites; for he says,

``it is a law with them not to sow corn, nor to plant any plant that bears fruit, nor to make use of wine, nor to build houses; and whosoever is found doing any of these things is, reckoned worthy of death; and the reason of their having such a law is, because they think that those who possess such things are easily compelled by men in power to do whatever is commanded them, for the sake of the enjoyment of them.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 Bibliothec. l. 19. p. 730. Ed. Rhod.

Geremia 35:9 In-Context

7 e non edificherete case, non seminerete alcuna semenza, non pianterete vigne, e non ne possederete alcuna, ma abiterete in tende tutti i giorni della vostra vita, affinché viviate lungamente nel paese dove state come forestieri.

8 E noi abbiamo ubbidito alla voce di Gionadab, figliuolo di Recab, nostro padre, in tutto quello che ci ha comandato: non beviamo vino durante tutti i nostri giorni, tanto noi, che le nostre mogli, i nostri figliuoli e le nostre figliuole;

9 non edifichiamo case per abitarvi, non abbiamo vigna, campo, né sementa;

10 abitiamo in tende, e abbiamo ubbidito e fatto tutto quello che Gionadab, nostro padre, ci ha comandato.

11 Ma quando Nebucadnetsar, re di Babilonia, è salito contro il paese, abbiam detto: Venite, ritiriamoci a Gerusalemme, per paura dell’esercito dei Caldei e dell’esercito di Siria. E così ci siamo stabiliti a Gerusalemme".