CHAPTER 35
This is the word
that
came
to
Jeremiah
from the LORD
in the days
of Jehoiakim
son
of Josiah
king
of Judah:
“Go
to
the house
of the Rechabites,
speak
to them,
and bring
them to
one
of the chambers
of the house
of the LORD
to offer them a drink
of wine.”
So I took
Jaazaniah
son
of Jeremiah,
the son
of Habazziniah,
and his brothers
and all
his sons—
the entire
house
of the Rechabites—
and I brought them into
the temple
of the LORD,
to
a chamber
occupied by the sons
of Hanan
son
of Igdaliah,
a man
of God.
This room was
near
the chamber
of the officials,
which
was above
the chamber
of Maaseiah
son
of Shallum
the doorkeeper.
Then I set
pitchers
full
of wine
and cups
before
the men
of the house
of the Rechabites
and said
to them,
“Drink
some wine.”
“We do not
drink
wine,”
they replied,
“for
our forefather
Jonadab
son
of Rechab
commanded
us,
‘Neither you
nor your descendants
are ever to
drink
wine.
Nor are you ever
to build
a house
or sow
seed
or plant
a vineyard.
Those things are
not for you.
Instead,
you must live
in tents
all
your lives,
so that
you may live
a long
time
in
the land
where
you
sojourn.'
We have obeyed
the voice
of our forefather
Jonadab
son
of Rechab
in all
he commanded us.
So we have not
drunk
wine
all
our lives—
neither we
nor our wives
nor sons
nor daughters.
But we have lived
in tents
and have obeyed
and done
exactly as
our forefather
Jonadab
commanded us.
But when
Nebuchadnezzar
king
of Babylon
marched
into
the land,
we said:
‘Come,
let us go into
Jerusalem
to escape
the armies
of the Chaldeans
and the Arameans.
So we have remained
in Jerusalem.”
“This is what
the LORD
of Hosts,
the God
of Israel,
says:
Go
and tell
the men
of Judah
and residents
of Jerusalem:
‘Will you not
accept
discipline
and obey
My words?’
declares
the LORD.
The words
of Jonadab
son
of Rechab
have been carried out.
He
commanded
his sons
not
to drink
wine,
and they have not
drunk it
to
this very
day
because
they have obeyed
the command
of their forefather.
But I
have spoken
to you
again and again,
and you have not
obeyed Me!
Time and time again
I have sent
you all
My servants
the prophets,
proclaiming:
‘Turn
now,
each of you,
from your wicked
ways,
and correct
your actions.
Do not
go after
other
gods
to serve them.
Live
in
the land
that
I have given
to you
and your fathers.'
But you have not
inclined
your ear
or listened
to Me.
Yes,
the sons
of Jonadab
son
of Rechab
carried out
the command
their forefather
gave them,
but these
people
have not
listened
to
Me.
Therefore,
this is what
the LORD,
the God
of Hosts,
the God
of Israel,
says:
‘Behold,
I will bring
to
Judah
and to
all
the residents
of Jerusalem
all
the disaster
I have pronounced
against them,
because
I have spoken
to them
but they have not
obeyed,
and I have called to them
but they have not
answered.'"
Then Jeremiah
said
to the house
of the Rechabites:
“This is what
the LORD
of Hosts,
the God
of Israel,
says:
‘Because
you have obeyed
the command
of your forefather
Jonadab
and have kept
all
his commandments
and have done
all
that
he charged you to do,
this is what
the LORD
of Hosts,
the God
of Israel,
says:
Jonadab
son
of Rechab
will never
fail to have
a man
to stand
before Me.’”