New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Jeremiah 35
1
A message came to me from the Lord. It came during the time Jehoiakim was king over Judah. He was the son of Josiah. The message said,
Reference
2
"Go to the members of the family line of Recab. Invite them to come to one of the side rooms in my house. Then give them wine to drink."
Reference
3
So I went to get Jaazaniah. He was the son of Jeremiah. Jeremiah was the son of Habazziniah. I also went to get Jaazaniah's brothers and all of his sons. That included all of the members of the family line of Recab.
People
4
I brought them into the Lord's house. I took them into the room of the sons of Hanan. He was the son of Igdaliah. He was also a man of God. His room was next to the room of the officials. Their room was above the room of Maaseiah. He was the son of Shallum. He also was one of those who guarded the temple doors.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
2 Kings 25:18
References God
Deuteronomy 33:1
2 Chronicles 8:14
Joshua 14:6
1 Kings 12:22
2 Kings 1:9
References Lord
2 Kings 12:9
5
Then I got bowls full of wine and some cups. I set them down in front of the men from the family line of Recab. I said to them, "Drink some wine."
Reference
6
But they replied, "We don't drink wine. That's because Jonadab gave us a command. He was the son of Recab. He was also one of our own people from long ago. He commanded, 'You and your children after you must never drink wine.
Reference
7
Also you must never build houses. You must never plant crops or vineyards. You must never have any of those things. Instead, you must always live in tents. Then you will live a long time in the land where you are wandering around.'
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 35:10
8
"We have done everything Jonadab, the son of Recab, commanded us to do. So we and our wives and our children have never drunk wine.
Reference
10
We've always lived in tents. We've completely obeyed everything Jonadab commanded our people of long ago.
11
"But Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia, marched into this land. Then we said, 'Come. We must go to Jerusalem. There we can escape the armies of Babylonia and Aram.' So we have remained in Jerusalem."
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 8:14
12
Then a message came to me from the Lord. It said,
13
"The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, 'Go. Speak to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Tell them, "Won't you ever learn a lesson? Won't you ever obey my words?" announces the Lord.
Reference
14
" ' "Jonadab, the son of Recab, ordered his children not to drink wine. And they have kept his command. To this very day they do not drink wine. They obey the command Jonadab gave their people long ago. But I have spoken to you again and again. In spite of that, you have not obeyed me.
Reference
Kingdom
Jeremiah 7:13
Parallel theme
Isaiah 50:2
Nehemiah 9:30
Sin
Jeremiah 11:7
Jeremiah 32:33
Word
Isaiah 30:9
Jeremiah 26:5
Jeremiah 29:19
Nehemiah 9:26
15
" ' "Again and again I sent all of my servants the prophets to you. They said, 'Each of you must turn from your evil ways. You must change the way you act. Do not worship other gods. Do not serve them. Then you will live in the land. I gave it to you and your people long ago.' But you have not paid any attention. You have not listened to me.
Reference
16
" ' "The children of Jonadab, the son of Recab, have obeyed the command Jonadab gave them long ago. But the people of Judah have not obeyed me." ' "
Reference
17
So the Lord God who rules over all speaks. The God of Israel says, "Listen! I am going to bring horrible trouble on Judah. I will also bring it on everyone who lives in Jerusalem. I will bring on them every trouble I said I would. I spoke to them. But they did not listen. I called out to them. But they did not answer."
Reference
Evil
Isaiah 66:4
Isaiah 65:12
Jeremiah 11:8
Parallel theme
Isaiah 50:2
Proverbs 13:13
Jeremiah 32:33
Jeremiah 26:5
References Israel
Romans 10:21
References Lord
Proverbs 16:2
Jeremiah 7:13
18
Then I spoke to the members of the family line of Recab. I said, "The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, 'You have obeyed the command Jonadab gave your people long ago. You have followed all of his directions. You have done everything he ordered.'
Reference
Summary of Jeremiah 35
Jeremiah 35 presents one of the clearest contrasts between faithful obedience and persistent disobedience in the book. The chapter takes place during the reign of King Jehoiakim, before the final destruction of Jerusalem, when Judah had already received repeated warnings from God but continued to resist them.
God instructs Jeremiah to invite the Rechabites into the Temple and offer them wine. The test seems simple, but its purpose is much deeper: God wants to use their response as an example for Judah.
The Rechabites refuse to drink. They explain that their ancestor Jonadab had commanded their family generations earlier not to drink wine, build permanent houses, plant vineyards, or own agricultural land. Instead, they were to live as temporary residents in tents.
What makes their example powerful is that they have continued following these instructions for generations. Their lifestyle requires discipline and sacrifice, yet they remain faithful to the instructions handed down by their ancestor.
Their temporary move into Jerusalem does not represent a change in their principles. They have come into the city because the Babylonian armies have entered the land and they need protection. Even under these difficult circumstances, they continue to honor their family's commitment.
God then turns the example toward Judah.
The Rechabites have obeyed the words of a human ancestor, even though his command was given generations earlier. Judah, by contrast, has repeatedly refused to obey God Himself, despite receiving direct instruction through prophets whom God continually sent to warn them.
This creates the central question of the chapter: If the Rechabites can remain faithful to the instructions of their ancestor, why cannot God's own people remain faithful to the commands of their Creator?
The contrast is especially powerful because Judah has received far greater privileges. God repeatedly called the people to turn away from evil, stop worshiping other gods, and return to Him, but they continually refused.
The chapter therefore shows that the problem was not a lack of information. Judah knew what God wanted, but repeatedly chose not to follow it.
God announces that because of this persistent refusal, the judgment He has repeatedly warned about will come upon Judah and Jerusalem. Their destruction will therefore not be sudden or unjustified; it will be the culmination of generations of ignored warnings.
In contrast, God promises to honor the Rechabites and preserve their family line because of their faithfulness.
The chapter's message is therefore not primarily about whether drinking wine or living in tents is right or wrong. The Rechabites' particular lifestyle is used as an illustration of consistent obedience. The deeper lesson is about taking commitments seriously, remaining faithful over time, and listening when God gives instruction.
The central message is that the Rechabites provide a powerful example of faithful obedience because they continued to honor the instructions of their ancestor Jonadab across generations, even though doing so required them to live differently from the surrounding society, while Judah repeatedly refused to obey God despite receiving His commands and warnings through many prophets; Jeremiah uses this contrast to expose the seriousness of Judah's rebellion, showing that the problem was not that God's people lacked instruction but that they repeatedly chose not to listen, and the chapter therefore teaches that genuine faithfulness is demonstrated through consistent obedience over time, especially when obedience requires sacrifice, discipline, and a willingness to remain committed even when the surrounding culture follows a different path.
God instructs Jeremiah to invite the Rechabites into the Temple and offer them wine. The test seems simple, but its purpose is much deeper: God wants to use their response as an example for Judah.
The Rechabites refuse to drink. They explain that their ancestor Jonadab had commanded their family generations earlier not to drink wine, build permanent houses, plant vineyards, or own agricultural land. Instead, they were to live as temporary residents in tents.
What makes their example powerful is that they have continued following these instructions for generations. Their lifestyle requires discipline and sacrifice, yet they remain faithful to the instructions handed down by their ancestor.
Their temporary move into Jerusalem does not represent a change in their principles. They have come into the city because the Babylonian armies have entered the land and they need protection. Even under these difficult circumstances, they continue to honor their family's commitment.
God then turns the example toward Judah.
The Rechabites have obeyed the words of a human ancestor, even though his command was given generations earlier. Judah, by contrast, has repeatedly refused to obey God Himself, despite receiving direct instruction through prophets whom God continually sent to warn them.
This creates the central question of the chapter: If the Rechabites can remain faithful to the instructions of their ancestor, why cannot God's own people remain faithful to the commands of their Creator?
The contrast is especially powerful because Judah has received far greater privileges. God repeatedly called the people to turn away from evil, stop worshiping other gods, and return to Him, but they continually refused.
The chapter therefore shows that the problem was not a lack of information. Judah knew what God wanted, but repeatedly chose not to follow it.
God announces that because of this persistent refusal, the judgment He has repeatedly warned about will come upon Judah and Jerusalem. Their destruction will therefore not be sudden or unjustified; it will be the culmination of generations of ignored warnings.
In contrast, God promises to honor the Rechabites and preserve their family line because of their faithfulness.
The chapter's message is therefore not primarily about whether drinking wine or living in tents is right or wrong. The Rechabites' particular lifestyle is used as an illustration of consistent obedience. The deeper lesson is about taking commitments seriously, remaining faithful over time, and listening when God gives instruction.
The central message is that the Rechabites provide a powerful example of faithful obedience because they continued to honor the instructions of their ancestor Jonadab across generations, even though doing so required them to live differently from the surrounding society, while Judah repeatedly refused to obey God despite receiving His commands and warnings through many prophets; Jeremiah uses this contrast to expose the seriousness of Judah's rebellion, showing that the problem was not that God's people lacked instruction but that they repeatedly chose not to listen, and the chapter therefore teaches that genuine faithfulness is demonstrated through consistent obedience over time, especially when obedience requires sacrifice, discipline, and a willingness to remain committed even when the surrounding culture follows a different path.