Jeremiah 35 2

Jeremiah 35:2 kjv

Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.

Jeremiah 35:2 nkjv

"Go to the house of the Rechabites, speak to them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink."

Jeremiah 35:2 niv

"Go to the Rekabite family and invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the house of the LORD and give them wine to drink."

Jeremiah 35:2 esv

"Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak with them and bring them to the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers; then offer them wine to drink."

Jeremiah 35:2 nlt

"Go to the settlement where the families of the Recabites live, and invite them to the LORD's Temple. Take them into one of the inner rooms, and offer them some wine."

Jeremiah 35 verses

Jeremiah 35 2 meaning

Jeremiah 35:2 records a direct command from the LORD to Jeremiah. It instructs the prophet to approach the Rechabites, invite them into a specific chamber within the Temple complex, and present them with wine to drink. This directive sets the stage for a divine object lesson concerning obedience and covenant faithfulness, designed to expose Judah's spiritual failings by contrasting them with the Rechabites' steadfast adherence to their ancestral vow.

Jeremiah 35 2 Context

Jeremiah 35:2 is situated during the reign of King Jehoiakim (Jer 35:1), a period approximately 605-598 BC, marked by intense idolatry, moral decay, and political instability in Judah. It was after the first Babylonian invasion, a time when Judah should have repented but stubbornly refused. The chapter interrupts Jeremiah's messages of judgment and hope with an acted parable, commissioned directly by the LORD. Jeremiah is instructed to bring the Rechabites, a distinctive group known for their ascetic lifestyle, into the Temple chambers and offer them wine. This serves as a stark contrast to Judah's habitual disobedience. While Judah consistently disregarded God's commands and pursued idol worship, the Rechabites demonstrated unwavering loyalty to a generational vow, thus highlighting Judah's deep spiritual rebellion against their Divine Father.

Jeremiah 35 2 Word analysis

• Go (לך - lek): A direct, imperative command from God to Jeremiah. It signals the initiation of a specific divine mission, not a casual suggestion. This prophetic action is divinely orchestrated.
• to the house (בית - bet): Refers to the lineage or family group of. It denotes the collective identity and dwelling of the Rechabites, highlighting their community and shared heritage.
• of the Rechabites (הָרֵכָבִֽים - ha-Rekabim): A distinct tribal group descended from Jehonadab (Jonadab) son of Rechab (2 Kgs 10:15-23). They were known for their strict, ancestral vow of abstinence from wine, not building houses, not sowing seeds, and living in tents, adhering to a simpler, nomadic life in contrast to settled society.
• speak to them (וְדִבַּרְתָּ אֹותָם - ve-dibarta otam): Jeremiah is to communicate directly with them, presumably to explain the purpose of bringing them into the Temple. This emphasizes the personal and intentional nature of the divine test.
• and bring them (וְהֵבֵאתָ אֹותָם - ve-heveta otam): Another imperative command, requiring physical action. Jeremiah is to escort them, emphasizing their being moved from their ordinary environment to a sacred, extraordinary setting for this specific purpose.
• into the house (בֵּית - bet): Specifically the Temple of Jerusalem, the most sacred place for the Israelites. Its selection is deliberate, establishing the solemnity and divine authority of the impending event.
• of the LORD (יהוה - Yahweh): Identifies the Temple as belonging to the covenant God of Israel. The sacred context underscores the spiritual gravity of the test that will ensue.
• into one (אַחַת - achat): Emphasizes a singular, specific choice from multiple available spaces.
• of the chambers (הַלְּשָׁכֹות - ha-leshakot): These were rooms or cells within the Temple courts used for various functions—storage, meetings, or lodgings for priests/Levites. A chamber offers a more confined and perhaps private setting for the orchestrated test, away from the general public.
• and give them (וְהִשְׁקִיתָ אֹותָם - ve-hishkita otam): Imperative, meaning "cause them to drink." This directly entails presenting them with the prohibited substance, initiating the pivotal test of their adherence.
• wine (יָֽיִן - yayin): The central element of the test. Wine was explicitly forbidden by the ancestral vow of the Rechabites, making its offering a direct challenge to their foundational principle.
• to drink (לִשְׁתֹּֽות - lishtoth): Completes the action, highlighting the deliberate intent to make them consume the forbidden drink.

• "Go to the house of the Rechabites... and bring them into the house of the LORD": This sequence describes a deliberate journey orchestrated by God. It involves moving a people of distinct custom from their own environment to the highly sacred, regulated space of the Temple, symbolizing their being placed directly before God for scrutiny and demonstration.
• "speak to them, and bring them... and give them wine to drink": This outlines a three-part command. First, verbal interaction, then physical relocation, culminating in a direct, decisive test. The progression moves from engagement to invitation to the crucial action, building towards the dramatic confrontation with their vow.

Jeremiah 35 2 Bonus section

The choice of "chambers" (לשכות, leshakot) within the Temple is significant. These rooms could range from storage facilities for Temple offerings to living quarters for priests and Levites, or even meeting rooms. Bringing the Rechabites into such a chamber provided a degree of privacy, allowing for a focused encounter without the immediate influence of the larger Temple crowd. It also brought them deep within the symbolic heart of Israelite worship, highlighting the solemnity and divine authority behind this test. This event can be seen as an intentional prophetic act, similar to Hosea's marriage to an unfaithful wife, designed to be seen and understood as a direct message from God to a rebellious people.

Jeremiah 35 2 Commentary

Jeremiah 35:2 is not merely an administrative instruction but the opening move in a divinely orchestrated prophetic drama. The LORD, through Jeremiah, is creating an object lesson that vividly exposes Judah's profound spiritual negligence. By commanding Jeremiah to summon the Rechabites—a group known for their exceptional fidelity to an ancestral code of conduct—into the sanctity of the Temple and tempt them with the very thing their vow prohibited (wine), God sets up a controlled experiment. Their response, as detailed in the subsequent verses, serves as a powerful and direct indictment of Judah's constant and willful disobedience to His far greater, life-giving covenant. The irony is stark: an earthly father's command is strictly honored, while the Heavenly Father's commandments are continually flouted. This verse is foundational for understanding the contrast and the ultimate blessing promised to the Rechabites.