Jeremiah Chapter 35 — The Example of the Rechabites
God instructs Jeremiah to test the Rechabites' obedience to their ancestral laws to provide a convicting example for the disobedient people of Judah.
1The 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.”
3Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, with his brothers, all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites;
4and 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.
5I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine!”
6But 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.
7You 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.’
8We 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;
9and not to build houses for ourselves to dwell in. We have no vineyard, field, or seed;
10but we have lived in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
11But 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.’ ”
12Then 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.
15I 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.
16The 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.’ ”
18Jeremiah 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,’
19therefore the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jonadab the son of Rechab will not lack a man to stand before me forever.’ ”
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Jeremiah 35:14
“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.”
This verse establishes the central comparison of the chapter between the Rechabites' discipline and Judah's rebellion.
Jeremiah 35:19
“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.’”
This concluding promise guarantees a perpetual blessing for the house of the Rechabites due to their steadfastness.
Chapter Summary
During the reign of King Jehoiakim, God directs Jeremiah to invite the house of the Rechabites into a room within the temple and offer them wine. When Jeremiah sets bowls of wine before them, they refuse to drink. They explain that their ancestor, Jonadab son of Rechab, commanded his descendants to never drink wine, build houses, or plant crops, but to live in tents as nomads. They had strictly followed these rules for generations, only entering Jerusalem temporarily to seek safety from the Babylonian and Syrian armies. God uses this demonstration of loyalty to shame the people of Judah. He points out that while the Rechabites obeyed a human forefather, Judah has consistently ignored the words of the living God and His prophets. Consequently, God declares that while Judah will face judgment, the house of Jonadab will be rewarded with a lasting legacy of service before Him.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Rechabites were a family group descended from Jonadab son of Rechab. They were known for their strict adherence to a nomadic lifestyle, living in tents and abstaining from wine and agriculture based on their ancestor's commands.
God commanded Jeremiah to offer them wine as a test. Their refusal was not a sin but a demonstration of their unwavering commitment to their father's instructions, which served as a visual object lesson for the people of Judah.
By living in tents and avoiding vineyards, the Rechabites maintained a distinct identity that avoided the settled, agricultural lifestyle of the Canaanites, which was often associated with idolatry.
God used the Rechabites' loyalty to a mortal ancestor's rules to highlight Judah's failure to obey the eternal God. He emphasized that though He spoke repeatedly through prophets, Judah refused to listen unlike the faithful Rechabites.
Study Note
The Rechabites' refusal to drink wine in the temple was particularly significant because the temple was the center of Judean life, making their act of obedience a public and powerful testimony.
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