Bible Commentaries

The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days ^a of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,

(a) For the disposition and order of these prophecies. {See (Jeremiah 27:1) }

Go to the house of the ^b Rechabites, and speak to them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.

(b) They came from Hobab, Moses father-in-law, who was no Israelite, but later joined with them in the service of God.

And I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man ^c of God, who [was] by the chamber of the princes, which [was] above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door:

(c) That is, a prophet.

And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I ^d said to them, Drink ye wine.

(d) The prophet says not. The Lord says thus, for then they ought to have obeyed, but he tends to another end: that is, to declare their obedience to man, seeing the Jews would not obey God himself.

But they said, We will drink no wine: for ^e Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, [neither ye], nor your sons for ever:

(e) Whom the king of Israel favoured for his zeal, (2 Kings 10:15).

(f) Teaching them by this to flee all opportunity for intemperancy, ambition and greed and that they might know that they were strangers in the earth, and be ready to depart at all opportunity.

But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to ^g all that Jonadab our father commanded us.

(g) Which was now for the span of three hundred years from Jehu to Jehoiakim.

But it came to pass, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians: so we ^h dwell at Jerusalem.

(h) Which declares that they were not so bound to their vow that it could not be broken for any need, for where they were commanded to dwell in tents, they dwell now at Jerusalem for fear of the wars.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ⁱ ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD.

(i) Whom I have chosen to be my children seeing these who were the children of a heathen, obeyed the commandment of their father.

The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for to this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: however I have spoken to you, ^k rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not to me.

(k) I have most diligently exhorted and warned you both by myself and my prophet.

Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have ^l spoken to them, but they have not heard; and I have called to them, but they have not answered.

(l) That is, by his prophets and ministers which shows that it is as much, as though he would speak to us himself when he sends his ministers to speak in his Name.

Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall ^m not lack a man to stand before me for ever.

(m) His posterity will continue and be in my favour for ever.