Jeremiah 35 8

Jeremiah 35:8 kjv

Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;

Jeremiah 35:8 nkjv

Thus we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters,

Jeremiah 35:8 niv

We have obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab commanded us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine

Jeremiah 35:8 esv

We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, to drink no wine all our days, ourselves, our wives, our sons, or our daughters,

Jeremiah 35:8 nlt

So we have obeyed him in all these things. We have never had a drink of wine to this day, nor have our wives, our sons, or our daughters.

Jeremiah 35 verses

Jeremiah 35 8 meaning

Jeremiah 35:8 articulates the unwavering commitment of the Rechabites to the ancestral commands given by Jonadab, their forefather. They faithfully testify that for generations, they have adhered strictly to his injunctions: abstaining from wine, refusing to build permanent houses to dwell in, and not possessing vineyards, fields, or agricultural seed. This verse highlights their profound, generational obedience and distinctive counter-cultural lifestyle rooted in fidelity to their founding traditions and values.

Jeremiah 35 8 Context

Jeremiah chapter 35, set during the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, serves as a powerful object lesson. God instructs Jeremiah to bring the Rechabites into a chamber of the Temple and offer them wine. This seemingly simple act is designed to expose the stark contrast between the Rechabites' unwavering loyalty to their ancestor's command and Judah's consistent disobedience to God's divine commands. The Rechabites, descendants of Jonadab son of Rechab (likely the same Jonadab who aided Jehu in eliminating Baal worship in 2 Kings 10), explain their unique, enduring commitment. Their distinct lifestyle – eschewing wine, fixed dwellings, and agriculture – was not arbitrary. It reflected principles of simplicity, self-control, separation from worldly comforts that could lead to spiritual compromise, and perhaps a continuous remembrance of their identity as sojourners. By faithfully upholding these commands for over 250 years, the Rechabites highlight Judah's spiritual failing as God's chosen people, who had forgotten their "Father's" commands and embraced the very vices Jonadab's rules guarded against.

Jeremiah 35 8 Word analysis

• Thus (כֵּ֠ן - ken): This Hebrew adverb signifies "so," "in this manner," or "accordingly." It connects their statement of obedience directly to the content of the charge, implying their following actions align with their ancestors' command, setting the stage for their detailed explanation.
• we have obeyed (שָׁמַ֣עְנוּ - shama'nu): This is the Qal Perfect first-person plural of the verb "שָׁמַע" (shama'), meaning "to hear," "to listen," and crucially, "to obey." The perfect tense emphasizes a completed action with continuing results – their obedience is a sustained reality from the past to the present. The word "shama'" implies both hearing and taking action based on what is heard, a concept starkly contrasting with Israel's tendency to "hear" but not "obey" God.
• the voice (קֹול - qol): Noun, "voice," "sound," or "command." In this context, it refers to the authoritative command or instruction. The Rechabites emphasize their submission to this authoritative "voice" of their ancestor.
• Jonadab (יְהוֹנָדָב - Yehonadav): A proper noun, literally meaning "YHWH is noble/bountiful." He was a historical figure known from 2 Kings 10 for his zeal against Baal worship, suggesting a strong religious conviction behind his commands.
• the son of Rechab (בֶן־רֵכָ֛ב - ben-Rekav): Identifies Jonadab's lineage. "Rechab" (רֵכָב - Rekav) means "charioteer" or "rider." Their clan, the Kenites, often associated with nomadic life, would maintain a distinct identity, possibly emphasizing mobility and resistance to assimilation.
• our father (אָבִ֥ינוּ - avinu): Noun with the first-person plural possessive suffix. This term conveys profound respect, loyalty, and recognition of his foundational authority, making his directives binding across generations. For them, he is not just an ancestor, but the authoritative progenitor.
• in all that he charged us (לְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖נוּ - lekhol asher tswivanu): "In all which he commanded us." "צִוָּנוּ" (tswivanu) is from the strong verb "צִוָּה" (tsavah), meaning "to command" or "to charge." This phrase emphasizes the completeness and unqualified nature of their obedience, a stark contrast to Judah's partial and selective obedience to God's extensive commands.
• to drink no wine (לְבִלְתִּ֧י שְׁת֧וֹת יָיִן - levilti s'tot yayin): "To not drink wine." This prohibition on fermented beverages is a central part of their vow. It echoes elements of Nazirite vows (Num 6) and priestly purity laws (Lev 10:9). It symbolizes self-control, spiritual clarity, and a rejection of luxurious excess and potential ritual intoxication associated with idolatrous practices prevalent in Canaan.
• all our days (כָּל־יָמֵ֣ינוּ - kol yameinu): "Throughout all our days" or "all our lives." This stresses the permanent, lifelong, and non-negotiable nature of the command. It's not a temporary fast but an enduring commitment passed down through generations.
• we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters: Explicitly extends the command and its adherence across the entire family unit and successive generations, emphasizing its communal and perpetual nature. This collective obedience reinforces their identity.
• and not to build houses to dwell in (וּלְבִלְתִּ֞י בְנ֤וֹת בָּתִּים לָשָׁ֑בֶת - ul'vilti v'not batim lasheveth): "And to not build houses to sit (or dwell permanently)." This injunction mandates a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle, emphasizing detachment from settled existence and material possessions. It represents a deliberate rejection of the comforts and potential spiritual compromises associated with fixed land and property, hearkening back to the Israelite wilderness journey and patriarchal life as sojourners.
• nor do we have vineyard or field or seed (וְכֶ֤רֶם וְשָׂדֶה֙ וָזֶ֖רַע לֹא־יִהְיֶה־לָּ֑נוּ - v'kherem v'sadeh vazerah lo-yiyeh-lanu): "And vineyard, and field, and seed shall not be ours (or for us)." This threefold denial of agricultural ownership is foundational. "Vineyard" (כֶרֶם - kerem), "field" (שָׂדֶה - sadeh), and "seed" (זֶרַע - zera') represent the core components of an agrarian economy. This ensures they do not become entangled in land-based wealth, which often fueled idolatry and reliance on physical provision rather than God, directly opposing the "good life" Canaan offered.

Jeremiah 35 8 Bonus section

• Kenite Ancestry: The Rechabites are often associated with the Kenites (Judges 1:16, 4:11), a nomadic tribe distinct from Israel yet often aligned with them. Their lifestyle thus likely reflects deep-rooted tribal customs that pre-existed Jonadab, formalized and spiritualized by his injunctions to prevent spiritual dilution in Canaan.
• Anti-Canaanite Polemic: The Rechabite rules directly reject the foundational elements of settled Canaanite society: grape cultivation (wine), permanent architecture, and land ownership. This stance served as a perpetual, tangible protest against the syncretism and idolatry prevalent in the land, a lesson Israel was supposed to embody but failed to maintain.
• Echoes of the Wilderness: Their nomadic, non-landowning existence implicitly recalled Israel's formative period in the wilderness (Deut 8:2-3), where they relied directly on God's provision and did not possess land. This might have been a deliberate attempt to maintain spiritual purity and humility by living as sojourners.
• Enduring Legacy of Loyalty: This specific demonstration of fidelity earned them a perpetual lineage in God's sight, as prophesied in Jeremiah 35:19. This contrasts sharply with the looming judgment and exile for Judah's disobedience, reinforcing the Bible's consistent theme: obedience brings blessing, disobedience brings curse.

Jeremiah 35 8 Commentary

Jeremiah 35:8 concisely lays bare the Rechabites' steadfast adherence to Jonadab's centuries-old mandate. Their refusal of wine, permanent homes, and land ownership isn't merely traditional; it embodies a profound loyalty to patriarchal authority and a deliberate counter-cultural existence. This disciplined lifestyle—marked by abstinence and a sojourning mindset—serves as a stark foil to Judah's chronic disobedience. While the Rechabites maintained fidelity to a human father, Israel repeatedly turned away from their Divine Father's far greater and life-giving commands. The specific prohibitions likely aimed at promoting purity, preventing assimilation into the idolatrous Canaanite agricultural culture (where wine and settled life were often linked to fertility cults), fostering self-discipline, and cultivating reliance on God rather than accumulated wealth. Their unwavering example underscores the seriousness of covenant obedience and indirectly highlights the moral and spiritual laxity that plagued Judah.