Jeremiah 35:1-19
Rechabites Obey
1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:
2“Go to the house of the Rechabites, speak to them, and bring them to one of the chambers of the house of the LORD to offer them a drink of wine.”
3So I took Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons—the entire house of the Rechabites—
4and I brought them into the house of the LORD, to a chamber occupied by the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, a man of God. This room was near the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah son of Shallum the doorkeeper.
5Then I set pitchers full of wine and some cups before the men of the house of the Rechabites, and I said to them, “Drink some wine.”
6“We do not drink wine,” they replied, “for our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us, ‘Neither you nor your descendants are ever to drink wine.
7Nor are you ever to build a house or sow seed or plant a vineyard. Those things are not for you. Instead, you must live in tents all your lives, so that you may live a long time in the land where you wander.’
8And we have obeyed the voice of our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab in all he commanded us. So we have not drunk wine all our lives—neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters.
9Nor have we built houses in which to live, and we have not owned any vineyards or fields or crops.
10But we have lived in tents and have obeyed and done exactly as our forefather Jonadab commanded us.
11So when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched into the land, we said: ‘Come, let us go into Jerusalem to escape the armies of the Chaldeans and the Arameans.’ So we have remained in Jerusalem.”
12Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:
13“This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem: ‘Will you not accept discipline and obey My words?’ declares the LORD.
14The words of Jonadab son of Rechab have been carried out. He commanded his sons not to drink wine, and they have not drunk it to this very day because they have obeyed the command of their forefather. But I have spoken to you again and again, and you have not obeyed Me!
15Again and again I have sent you all My servants the prophets, proclaiming: ‘Turn now, each of you, from your wicked ways, and correct your actions. Do not go after other gods to serve them. Live in the land that I have given to you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me.
16Yes, the sons of Jonadab son of Rechab carried out the command their forefather gave them, but these people have not listened to Me.
17Therefore this is what the LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will bring to Judah and to all the residents of Jerusalem all the disaster I have pronounced against them, because I have spoken to them but they have not obeyed, and I have called to them but they have not answered.’”
18Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites: “This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you have obeyed the command of your forefather Jonadab and have kept all his commandments and have done all that he charged you to do,
19this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Jonadab son of Rechab will never fail to have a man to stand before Me.’”
Berean Standard Bible
The LORD sends Jeremiah to the house of the Rechabites and tells him to bring them into a chamber of the temple and offer them wine. They refuse because their ancestor Jonadab commanded them never to drink wine, build houses, sow seed, or plant vineyards, but to live in tents.
The Rechabites have obeyed their ancestor for generations. They came into Jerusalem because of the Babylonian army, but even danger has not made them abandon the family command. Their obedience is not presented as a universal ban on wine or settled life; it is the specific discipline their ancestor gave them.
The LORD contrasts their obedience with Judah's disobedience. He has spoken repeatedly through prophets, telling the people to turn from evil, but they have not listened. The Rechabites keep a human command, while God's own people refuse the commands of their Creator.
Because of the Rechabites' faithfulness, Jonadab will never lack a man to stand before the LORD. Judah, by contrast, faces judgment for refusing to repent. The lesson concerns listening and loyalty, not the superiority of one lifestyle over every other.
Questions
1 What did Jonadab command the Rechabites?
AnswerHe commanded them not to drink wine, build houses, sow seed, or plant vineyards, but to live in tents.
2 Why were they in Jerusalem?
AnswerThey had come into Jerusalem because of the Babylonian army.
3 What contrast did the LORD draw?
AnswerThey followed their ancestor's command, while Judah refused to obey the LORD despite repeated warnings.
4 What promise was made to the Rechabites?
AnswerJonadab would never lack a man to stand before the LORD because of their faithfulness.
What This Means for Us
The Rechabites' example is not a template for every family's habits. It is a mirror held up to people who hear God's voice and continually refuse it.
Choose family traditions for good reasons, but ask whether your household obeys God's clear commands with comparable seriousness. A cherished custom cannot excuse neglect of justice, truth, or mercy.
Prayer
LORD, make us attentive and faithful. Help us honor good family instruction without turning custom into a god, and give us hearts that obey your word when it challenges our habits. Amen.