Jeremiah 35 1

Jeremiah 35:1 kjv

The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,

Jeremiah 35:1 nkjv

The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying,

Jeremiah 35:1 niv

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD during the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:

Jeremiah 35:1 esv

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

Jeremiah 35:1 nlt

This is the message the LORD gave Jeremiah when Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah:

Jeremiah 35 verses

Jeremiah 35 1 meaning

This verse serves as a crucial introductory statement or superscription, setting the authoritative source and specific historical timing for the divine message that follows in Jeremiah chapter 35. It clearly states that the word concerning the Rechabites came directly from YHWH (the LORD) to His prophet Jeremiah during the tumultuous reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, establishing the divine origin and historical anchorage of the subsequent revelation. This detail is vital as it underlines the prophetic nature and divine authority behind the contrasting example of the Rechabites' obedience against Judah's widespread disobedience.

Jeremiah 35 1 Context

Jeremiah chapter 35 is strategically placed within the book to provide a dramatic and tangible object lesson amidst Jeremiah's prophecies of impending judgment against Judah. Historically, the events unfold during the volatile reign of Jehoiakim, roughly between 609-598 BCE. This was a period of increasing Babylonian influence following Judah's initial vassalage to Egypt. King Jehoiakim, a son of the righteous King Josiah, actively reversed many of his father's reforms, promoting idolatry, social injustice, and openly rejecting Jeremiah's warnings. He was known for his ruthlessness, extravagance, and opposition to the prophets. The broader context of the book is Judah's spiritual decline leading to the Babylonian exile, with Jeremiah continuously pleading for repentance. Specifically, chapter 35 sets the stage for Jeremiah's encounter with the Rechabites, a non-Israelite group who, through generations, meticulously adhered to a vow made by their ancestor Jonadab (living a nomadic life, abstaining from wine, building houses, or owning vineyards). Their unwavering obedience, even to an ancient ancestral command, stands in stark contrast to the persistent disobedience of the people of Judah to the divine covenant commands, highlighting their profound spiritual failure. This chapter immediately precedes the account of Jehoiakim burning Jeremiah's scroll in chapter 36, further emphasizing the king's contempt for God's word.

Jeremiah 35 1 Word analysis

• The word (Heb. Devar YHWH): This foundational phrase translates to "the word of the LORD." It signifies a divine communication, not human opinion. Its extensive use throughout the prophets, including Jeremiah, underlines that the message originates from the transcendent God and carries ultimate authority. This is a recurring formula to emphasize direct revelation (e.g., Jer 1:1, 1:2, Ezek 1:3).
• that came (Heb. hayah): The verb hayah means "to be" or "to become" or "to come into existence." In prophetic contexts, when coupled with "word," it indicates not merely an arrival but an active manifestation or embodiment of the divine message within human experience, making it a tangible reality for the prophet. It stresses the active intervention of God in human history.
• to Jeremiah: This identifies the specific human recipient of the divine message. Jeremiah, a prophet from Anathoth, was commissioned by God to deliver stern warnings and calls to repentance to Judah. His person became the conduit for God's truth, bearing witness to both the divine origin and human transmission of the prophecy.
• from the LORD (Heb. min YHWH): YHWH is the personal covenant name of God, often translated "LORD" in English Bibles. This emphasizes the source of the word as the sovereign, covenant-keeping God of Israel. It explicitly declares that the message carries the weight and authority of the Creator and Sustainer, establishing its supreme truthfulness and power over any other claim or source.
• in the days of Jehoiakim (Heb. bi-y'mei Y'hoyaqim): This precise temporal marker grounds the prophecy in a specific historical period (circa 609-598 BCE). King Jehoiakim's reign was characterized by profound apostasy, injustice, and overt defiance against God and His prophets, especially Jeremiah. Mentioning his days immediately highlights a period of deep spiritual darkness and rejection of divine truth, making the forthcoming object lesson even more poignant.
• the son of Josiah: This identifies Jehoiakim's lineage, the son of a king renowned for his faithfulness and reforms (2 Kgs 22-23; 2 Chr 34-35). This serves as a stark contrast. While Josiah actively sought to restore the worship of YHWH, Jehoiakim reversed his father's reforms, plummeting Judah back into idolatry and injustice. The son failed to emulate the righteous father, underlining Judah's collective failure despite past opportunities for revival.
• king of Judah: This clarifies the specific domain and people group for whom the message is primarily intended. Judah was the southern kingdom, comprising the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with Jerusalem as its capital. This message is directly targeted at its inhabitants and rulers.
• saying (Heb. le'mor): This introductory participle signifies that the words which follow are the direct content of the divine message that came to Jeremiah. It acts as a clear segue from the historical setting to the actual instruction and prophetic oracle.

Jeremiah 35 1 Bonus section

The specific inclusion of "the son of Josiah" when referring to Jehoiakim is not merely for identification but carries significant literary and theological weight. It serves as an immediate, painful reminder of the stark contrast between two kings: Josiah, who led Judah in a national spiritual revival (2 Kgs 22-23), and Jehoiakim, who actively undid his father's good works and defied God at every turn. This familial juxtaposition is a powerful rhetorical device employed by the prophets to emphasize how quickly a nation can backslide from spiritual zeal to utter apostasy, even under a different generation. This further highlights Judah's profound moral decline, having inherited a legacy of reform yet choosing a path of rebellion. Moreover, the detailed nature of prophetic superscriptions (time, prophet, source, king) serves as crucial validation for the historical accuracy and divine authenticity of the prophetic books in ancient Near Eastern literary context. They aren't vague; they are precise claims of a direct divine message embedded within human history.

Jeremiah 35 1 Commentary

Jeremiah 35:1 is more than a simple verse; it functions as a solemn, authoritative preface to one of the most compelling ethical demonstrations in the book of Jeremiah. The introductory phrase, "The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD," is a classic prophetic formula (Devar YHWH), emphasizing that what follows is not Jeremiah's personal reflection or political commentary but a direct, unimpeachable divine revelation. This immediately sets the message apart with an unparalleled weight of authority, especially crucial given Judah's pervasive disregard for God's laws and the proliferation of false prophets at the time.

The timing, "in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah," is deliberately specified and profoundly significant. Jehoiakim represents the antithesis of his righteous father, Josiah. While Josiah championed a sweeping spiritual revival, Jehoiakim steered Judah into deeper apostasy, injustice, and defiance. His reign was marked by oppressive building projects (Jer 22:13), burning Jeremiah's prophetic scroll (Jer 36), and a general rejection of divine warnings. Placing this particular oracle during such a reign amplifies the urgency and gravity of the message. It serves as a stark historical anchor, showing that God continued to speak and act even amidst extreme human wickedness.

This opening verse thus prepares the audience for a dramatic spiritual object lesson. The clear establishment of divine origin and precise historical context forms an unshakeable foundation for the ensuing narrative of the Rechabites' unwavering, multi-generational obedience to their human ancestor's simple commands. Their faithfulness, juxtaposed against Judah's gross, covenant-breaking disobedience to YHWH, highlights Judah's culpability and provides a potent, irrefutable argument for their impending judgment. The very setup of the verse underscores God's persistent efforts to call His people to account, offering both rebuke and a pathway to understanding their spiritual failings.