Jeremia 35,14 | New International Reader’s Version

The family line of Rekab

1 A message from the LORD came to Jeremiah. It came during the time Jehoiakim was king over Judah. Jehoiakim was the son of Josiah. The message said, 2 ‘Go to the members of the family line of Rekab. Invite them to come to one of the side rooms in my house. Then give them wine to drink.’ 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 his sons. That included all the members of the family line of Rekab. 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. 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 Rekab. I said to them, ‘Drink some wine.’ 6 But they replied, ‘We don’t drink wine. That’s because Jehonadab gave us a command. He was the son of Rekab. He was also one of our own people from long ago. He commanded, “You and your children after you must never drink wine. 7 Also you must never build houses. You must never plant crops or vineyards. You must never have any of these things. Instead, you must always live in tents. Then you will live a long time in the land where you are wandering around.” 8 We have done everything Jehonadab, the son of Rekab, commanded us to do. So we and our wives and our children have never drunk wine. 9 We have never built houses to live in. We’ve never had vineyards, fields or crops. 10 We’ve always lived in tents. We’ve completely obeyed everything Jehonadab commanded our people of long ago. 11 But Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, marched into this land. Then we said, “Come. We must go to Jerusalem. There we can escape the armies of Babylon and Aram.” So we have remained in Jerusalem.’ 12 Then a message from the LORD came to Jeremiah. 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. 14 ‘Jehonadab, the son of Rekab, ordered his children not to drink wine. And they have kept his command. To this day they do not drink wine. They obey the command Jehonadab gave their people long ago. But I have spoken to you again and again. In spite of that, you have not obeyed me. 15 Again and again I sent all 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 shall live in the land. I gave it to you and your people of long ago.” But you have not paid any attention. You have not listened to me. 16 The children of Jehonadab, the son of Rekab, have obeyed the command Jehonadab gave them long ago. But the people of Judah have not obeyed me.’ ” ’ 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.’ 18 Then Jeremiah spoke to the members of the family line of Rekab. Jeremiah said, ‘The LORD who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, “You have obeyed the command Jehonadab gave your people of long ago. You have followed all his directions. You have done everything he ordered.” 19 So the LORD who rules over all speaks. The God of Israel says, “Jehonadab, the son of Rekab, will always have someone from his family line to serve me.” ’

English Standard Version

The Obedience of the Rechabites

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: 2 “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.” 3 So I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah and his brothers and all his sons and the whole house of the Rechabites. 4 I brought them to the house of the Lord into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was near the chamber of the officials, above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, keeper of the threshold. 5 Then I set before the Rechabites pitchers full of wine, and cups, and I said to them, “Drink wine.” 6 But they answered, “We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, ‘You shall not drink wine, neither you nor your sons forever. 7 You shall not build a house; you shall not sow seed; you shall not plant or have a vineyard; but you shall live in tents all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.’ 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, ourselves, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, 9 and not to build houses to dwell in. We have no vineyard or field or seed, 10 but we have lived in tents and have obeyed and done all that Jonadab our father commanded us. 11 But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans and the army of the Syrians.’ So we are living in Jerusalem.” 12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Go and say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will you not receive instruction and listen to my words? declares the Lord. 14 The command that Jonadab the son of Rechab gave to his sons, to drink no wine, has been kept, and they drink none to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me. 15 I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, ‘Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to you and your fathers.’ But you did not incline your ear or listen to me. 16 The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the command that their father gave them, but this people has not obeyed me. 17 Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, because I have spoken to them and they have not listened, I have called to them and they have not answered.” 18 But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father and kept all his precepts and done all that he commanded you, 19 therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall never lack a man to stand before me.”

Jeremia 35,14 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version

The family line of Rekab

The Obedience of the Rechabites