35
1 The
word which came
to Jeremiah from
the LORD in
the days of
Jehoiakim the son
of Josiah, king
of Judah, saying,
2 “Go
to the house
of the Rechabites,
and speak to
them, and bring
them into the
LORD’s house, into
one of the
rooms, and give
them wine to
drink.”
3 Then
I took Jaazaniah
the son of
Jeremiah, the son
of Habazziniah,
with his brothers,
all his sons,
and the whole
house of the
Rechabites;
4 and
I brought them into
the LORD’s house,
into the room of
the sons of
Hanan the son
of Igdaliah, the
man of God,
which was by
the room of
the princes, which
was above the
room of Maaseiah
the son of
Shallum, the
keeper of the
threshold.
5 I
set before the
sons of the
house of the
Rechabites bowls
full of wine,
and cups; and
I said to them, “Drink
wine!”
6 But
they said, “We
will drink no
wine; for Jonadab
the son of
Rechab, our father,
commanded us, saying, ‘You
shall drink no
wine, neither you
nor your children,
forever.
7 You
shall not build
a house, sow
seed, plant a
vineyard, or have
any; but all
your days you
shall dwell
in tents, that you
may live many
days in the
land in which
you live
as nomads.’
8 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, we,
our wives, our
sons, or our
daughters;
9 and
not to build
houses for
ourselves to dwell
in. We have no
vineyard, field,
or seed;
10 but
we have lived
in tents, and have
obeyed, and
done according to
all that Jonadab
our father commanded
us.
11 But
when Nebuchadnezzar
king of Babylon
came up into
the land, we said,
‘Come! Let’s go
to Jerusalem for
fear of the
army of the
Chaldeans, and for
fear of the
army of
the Syrians; so we
will dwell at
Jerusalem.’ ”
12 Then
the LORD’s word
came to Jeremiah,
saying,
13 “The
LORD of Armies,
the God of
Israel, says: ‘Go
and tell the
men of Judah
and the
inhabitants of
Jerusalem, “Will
you not receive
instruction to
listen to my
words?” says the
LORD.
14 “The
words of Jonadab
the son of
Rechab that he
commanded his sons,
not to drink
wine, are
performed; and to
this day they
drink none, for
they obey their
father’s commandment;
but I have
spoken to you,
rising up early
and speaking, and
you have not
listened to me.
15 I
have sent also
to you all
my servants the
prophets, rising
up early and
sending them, saying, ‘Every
one of you
must return now
from his evil
way, amend your
doings, and don’t
go after other gods
to serve them.
Then you will
dwell in the land
which I have
given to you
and to
your fathers;’ but
you have not
inclined your ear,
nor listened to
me.
16 The
sons of Jonadab
the son of
Rechab have
performed the
commandment of
their father which
he commanded them,
but this people
has not listened
to me.” ’
17 “Therefore
the LORD, the
God of Armies,
the God of
Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will bring
on Judah and
on all the
inhabitants of
Jerusalem all the
evil that I
have pronounced
against them,
because I have
spoken to them,
but they have
not heard; and
I have called
to them, but
they have not
answered.’ ”
18 Jeremiah
said to the
house of the
Rechabites, “The
LORD of Armies,
the God of
Israel, says: ‘Because
you have obeyed
the commandment of
Jonadab your father,
and kept all
his precepts, and
done according to
all that he
commanded you,’
19 therefore
the LORD of
Armies, the God
of Israel, says:
‘Jonadab the son
of Rechab will
not lack a
man to stand
before me
forever.’ ”