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 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 35:1 | Jer 35:1 "The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying," | Sets the immediate historical backdrop. |
| Jer 35:3 | Jer 35:3 "So I took them by the hand into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which is above the chamber of the princes, which is above the warehouse of Meshech." | Details where the event took place within the Temple complex. |
| Jer 35:5 | Jer 35:5 "And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine." | The direct command given to the Rechabites. |
| Jer 35:6 | Jer 35:6 "But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father gave us charge, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, nor shall ye take neither sons nor nephews for wives:" | The Rechabites' foundational commitment to their ancestor's law. |
| Jer 35:7 | Jer 35:7 "Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land wherein ye be strangers." | Further elaboration of Jonadab's commands regarding their lifestyle. |
| Jer 35:8 | Jer 35:8 "And we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;" | The Rechabites' confirmation of their obedience to their father. |
| Jer 35:10 | Jer 35:10 "But we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab our father, and have not drunk wine, all the days that we have lived since we were commanded by him: nor our wives, our sons, and our daughters;" | Reiteration of their adherence to the principle. |
| Jer 35:11 | Jer 35:11 "But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come ye, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem." | Their present location is due to war conditions. |
| Jer 35:12 | Jer 35:12 "Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying," | The subsequent divine instruction following the observation. |
| Jer 35:13 | Jer 35:13 "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD." | The core message of the Lord to Judah concerning the Rechabites' example. |
| Jer 35:14 | Jer 35:14 "The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he charged his sons, not to drink wine, are performed; and for this cause they shall not want a man to stand before me for ever." | The divine blessing upon the Rechabites for their obedience. |
| Jer 35:15 | Jer 35:15 "And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying," | Another divine word delivered to Jeremiah. |
| Jer 35:16 | Jer 35:16 "Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he charged them, and have not drunk wine unto this day; but they have obeyed their father's commandment: I will not prune nor plant for them that generation." | The contrast of the Rechabites' obedience with Judah's disobedience and its consequences. |
| Jer 35:18 | Jer 35:18 "And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all he hath commanded you;" | Jeremiah relaying the Lord's message to the Rechabites. |
| Jer 35:19 | Jer 35:19 "Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever." | The enduring promise of a continuous lineage of service to God. |
| Pro 22:6 | Pro 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. | Corroborates the impact of parental instruction. |
| Deut 28 | Deut 28 Detailed blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. | The overarching theme of covenantal response to God's commands. |
| Gal 5:17 | Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. | Relates to the struggle between fleshly desires (like drinking wine for pleasure) and spiritual obedience. |
| Heb 13:5 | Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. | Echoes the contentment in simple living, akin to the Rechabites' separation from worldly possessions and comforts. |
| Eph 6:1-3 | Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; | Highlights the principle of honoring parents and its divine affirmation. |
| 1 Cor 10:31 | 1 Cor 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do it all for the glory of God. | The ultimate motivation for any action, even abstaining from things. |
| Ps 119:105 | Ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. | Shows the guiding nature of God's word, which the Rechabites followed through their father's teaching. |
| Mal 2:7 | Mal 2:7 For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. | Underscores the importance of faithfully transmitting God's word and commands, as Jeremiah was doing. |
Jeremiah 35 verses
Jeremiah 35 2 Meaning
Jeremiah 35:2 presents an instruction from the Lord to Jeremiah to take the sons of Jonadab, son of Rechab, to the temple of the Lord and offer them wine. The verse focuses on preparing an event where the Rechabites are tested and shown obedience to their ancestor's commands. This action serves as a visual sermon to the people of Judah.
Jeremiah 35 2 Context
This verse occurs within the larger narrative of Jeremiah chapter 35. The chapter is situated during the reign of King Jehoiakim in Judah, a period marked by significant religious and political turmoil, and imminent Babylonian invasion. The historical context is crucial: Judah, despite prophetic warnings, was largely disobedient to God's covenant. This chapter serves as a powerful object lesson, contrasting the faithfulness of the Rechabites to their ancestral commands with the faithlessness of Judah to God's commands. The Rechabites, a nomadic Kenite clan, lived according to the strict lifestyle prescribed by their ancestor Jonadab, which included abstinence from wine and settled life. Jeremiah's action in verse 2 is to orchestrate a scenario where their commitment is tested within the sacred space of God's Temple.
Jeremiah 35 2 Word Analysis
- Take (L Hebrew: laqach (לקח)): To seize, get, bring, carry, fetch, lead. In this context, it signifies Jeremiah being instructed to actively bring the Rechabites to the Temple.
- sons (L Hebrew: benei (בְּנֵי)): Literally "sons" of. Refers to male offspring but can also denote descendants or people belonging to a particular group or lineage.
- Jonadab (L Hebrew: Yonadav (יוֹנָדָב)): The name means "Yahweh is willing." Jonadab was a historical figure who commanded his descendants to live a specific ascetic lifestyle.
- son (L Hebrew: ben (בֵּן)): Male offspring.
- Rechab (L Hebrew: Rekhav (רֵכָב)): Likely means "rider" or "chariot."
- house (L Hebrew: bayith (בַּיִת)): Refers to family, lineage, or dynasty, not just a physical building.
- all (L Hebrew: kol (כָּל)): Denotes totality, entirety, or the whole.
- of them (L Hebrew: hemmah (הֵמָּה)): Pronoun referring to "they" or "them."
- into (L Hebrew: el (אֶל)): A preposition indicating motion toward.
- house (L Hebrew: beth (בֵּית)): Refers to the Temple of the Lord.
- Lord (L Hebrew: Yahweh (יהוה)): The covenant name of God.
- and (L Hebrew: wa (וְ)): A conjunction connecting phrases or clauses.
- offer (L Hebrew: masuk (מָסוּךְ)): To pour out, present (as an offering, specifically libation or drink offering). Though translated here as "offer," the subsequent verses reveal it's an offering of wine for them to drink.
- wine (L Hebrew: yayin (יַיִן)): Grape wine.
- before (L Hebrew: leqed (לִקְדּ)): In front of, in the presence of.
- "sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab": This phrase emphasizes the specific lineage and the inherited commands that define the Rechabites' identity. It connects their obedience directly to their ancestor.
- "house of the Lord": The Temple signifies the holy presence of God and a place where divine instructions are paramount. Placing them here highlights the spiritual dimension of their test and the covenantal implications.
- "offer them wine": While the act is offering wine, the intention is to test their adherence to their father's prohibition of wine. This is a test of obedience, not a sacrifice of wine itself in the usual sense.
Jeremiah 35 2 Bonus Section
The Rechabites' obedience is lauded by God as a model for Israel. Their steadfast adherence to Jonadab's specific prohibitions—abstaining from wine and settled living—demonstrates a profound commitment to the instructions passed down through generations. This is seen as a radical form of faithfulness in a society deeply involved in the comforts and practices that were leading them away from God. Their nomadic, tent-dwelling existence and abstinence from wine were practices intended to maintain their distinctiveness and potentially prevent entanglement with the seductive vices and idolatry of Canaanite culture, and later Babylonian. The promise that "a man shall never want from the line of Jonadab the son of Rechab to stand before me" (Jer 35:19) signifies God’s favor upon them, not necessarily literal temple service as priests, but a perpetual existence in God’s presence, maintained through their lineage's faithfulness. This contrast highlights a core theological principle: loyalty to divine command, whether it be to earthly fathers or the heavenly Father, is recognized and rewarded by God. It also implies that such a disciplined life fosters spiritual readiness and awareness, allowing them to remain "before me."
Jeremiah 35 2 Commentary
Jeremiah 35:2 records a divine directive to Jeremiah, initiating a powerful object lesson. The Lord commands Jeremiah to bring the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab into the Temple and present them with wine. This instruction is not to make them drink wine, but to offer it to them, creating a scenario for testing their commitment. The Rechabites were a people known for their nomadic lifestyle and their adherence to their ancestor Jonadab's stringent commands, which included abstaining from wine, building houses, and sowing seeds. This commitment was a testament to their faithfulness and distinctiveness from the idolatrous practices of Judah. The setting in the house of the Lord highlights that their obedience was being observed within the very place meant to honor God, making their faithfulness a direct contrast to the disloyalty of the nation. This event serves as a "living parable," demonstrating a human commitment to a parental injunction and setting it against Israel's disregard for divine commands, thereby illustrating the profound consequences of obedience versus disobedience.