6 But they said, H559 We will drink H8354 no wine: H3196 for Jonadab H3122 the son H1121 of Rechab H7394 our father H1 commanded H6680 us, saying, H559 Ye shall drink H8354 no wine, H3196 neither ye, nor your sons H1121 for H5704 ever: H5769
I suppose G3543 therefore G3767 that this G5124 is G5225 good G2570 for G1223 the present G1764 distress, G318 I say, that G3754 it is good G2570 for a man G444 so G3779 to be. G1511 Art thou bound G1210 unto a wife? G1135 seek G2212 not G3361 to be loosed. G3080 Art thou loosed G3089 from G575 a wife? G1135 seek G2212 not G3361 a wife. G1135 But G1161 and G2532 if G1437 thou marry, G1060 thou hast G264 not G3756 sinned; G264 and G2532 if G1437 a virgin G3933 marry, G1060 she hath G264 not G3756 sinned. G264 Nevertheless G1161 such G5108 shall have G2192 trouble G2347 in the flesh: G4561 but G1161 I G1473 spare G5339 you. G5216 But G1161 this G5124 I say, G5346 brethren, G80 the time G2540 is short: G4958 it remaineth, G2076 G3063 that G2443 both G2532 they that have G2192 wives G1135 be G5600 as though G5613 they had G2192 none; G3361 And G2532 they that weep, G2799 as G5613 though they wept G2799 not; G3361 and G2532 they that rejoice, G5463 as G5613 though they rejoiced G5463 not; G3361 and G2532 they that buy, G59 as G5613 though they possessed G2722 not; G3361 And G2532 they that use G5530 this G5127 world, G2889 as G5613 not G3361 abusing G2710 it: for G1063 the fashion G4976 of this G5129 world G2889 passeth away. G3855
By faith G4102 he sojourned G3939 in G1519 the land G1093 of promise, G1860 as G5613 in a strange country, G245 dwelling G2730 in G1722 tabernacles G4633 with G3326 Isaac G2464 and G2532 Jacob, G2384 the heirs with him G4789 of the same G846 promise: G1860 For G1063 he looked for G1551 a city G4172 which hath G2192 foundations, G2310 whose G3739 builder G5079 and G2532 maker G1217 is God. G2316 Through faith G4102 also G2532 Sara G4564 herself G846 received G2983 strength G1411 to G1519 conceive G2602 seed, G4690 and G2532 was delivered of a child G5088 when she was past G3844 age, G2540 G2244 because G1893 she judged G2233 him faithful G4103 who had promised. G1861 Therefore G1352 sprang there G1080 even G2532 of G575 one, G1520 and G2532 him G5023 as good as dead, G3499 so many as G2531 the stars G798 of the sky G3772 in multitude, G4128 and G2532 as G5616 the sand G285 which G3588 is by G3844 the sea G2281 shore G5491 innumerable. G382 These G3778 all G3956 died G599 in G2596 faith, G4102 not G3361 having received G2983 the promises, G1860 but G235 having seen G1492 them G846 afar off, G4207 and G2532 were persuaded of G3982 them, and G2532 embraced G782 them, and G2532 confessed G3670 that G3754 they were G1526 strangers G3581 and G2532 pilgrims G3927 on G1909 the earth. G1093
And they found H4672 written H3789 in the law H8451 which the LORD H3068 had commanded H6680 by H3027 Moses, H4872 that the children H1121 of Israel H3478 should dwell H3427 in booths H5521 in the feast H2282 of the seventh H7637 month: H2320 And that they should publish H8085 and proclaim H5674 H6963 in all their cities, H5892 and in Jerusalem, H3389 saying, H559 Go forth H3318 unto the mount, H2022 and fetch H935 olive H2132 branches, H5929 and pine H8081 branches, H6086 H5929 and myrtle H1918 branches, H5929 and palm H8558 branches, H5929 and branches H5929 of thick H5687 trees, H6086 to make H6213 booths, H5521 as it is written. H3789 So the people H5971 went forth, H3318 and brought H935 them, and made H6213 themselves booths, H5521 every one H376 upon the roof of his house, H1406 and in their courts, H2691 and in the courts H2691 of the house H1004 of God, H430 and in the street H7339 of the water H4325 gate, H8179 and in the street H7339 of the gate H8179 of Ephraim. H669
Speak H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and say H559 unto them, When either man H376 or woman H802 shall separate H6381 themselves to vow H5087 a vow H5088 of a Nazarite, H5139 to separate H5144 themselves unto the LORD: H3068 He shall separate H5144 himself from wine H3196 and strong drink, H7941 and shall drink H8354 no vinegar H2558 of wine, H3196 or vinegar H2558 of strong drink, H7941 neither shall he drink H8354 any liquor H4952 of grapes, H6025 nor eat H398 moist H3892 grapes, H6025 or dried. H3002 All the days H3117 of his separation H5145 shall he eat H398 nothing that is made H6213 of the vine H3196 tree, H1612 from the kernels H2785 even to the husk. H2085 All the days H3117 of the vow H5088 of his separation H5145 there shall no razor H8593 come H5674 upon his head: H7218 until the days H3117 be fulfilled, H4390 in the which he separateth H5144 himself unto the LORD, H3068 he shall be holy, H6918 and shall let the locks H6545 of the hair H8181 of his head H7218 grow. H1431
Ye shall dwell H3427 in booths H5521 seven H7651 days; H3117 all that are Israelites H3478 born H249 shall dwell H3427 in booths: H5521 That your generations H1755 may know H3045 that I made the children H1121 of Israel H3478 to dwell H3427 in booths, H5521 when I brought them out H3318 of the land H776 of Egypt: H4714 I am the LORD H3068 your God. H430
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 35
Commentary on Jeremiah 35 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 35
Jer 35:1-19. Prophecy in the Reign of Jehoiakim, when the Chaldeans, in Conjunction with the Syrians and Moabites, Invaded Judea.
By the obedience of the Rechabites to their father, Jeremiah condemns the disobedience of the Jews to God their Father. The Holy Spirit has arranged Jeremiah's prophecies by the moral rather than the chronological connection. From the history of an event fifteen years before, the Jews, who had brought back their manumitted servants into bondage, are taught how much God loves and rewards obedience, and hates and punishes disobedience.
2. Rechabites—a nomadic tribe belonging to the Kenites of Hemath (1Ch 2:55), of the family of Jethro, or Hobab, Moses' father-in-law (Ex 18:9, &c.; Nu 10:29-32; Jud 1:16). They came into Canaan with the Israelites, but, in order to preserve their independence, chose a life in tents without a fixed habitation (1Sa 15:6). Besides the branch of them associated with Judah and extending to Amalek, there was another section at Kadesh, in Naphtali (Jud 4:11, 17). They seem to have been proselytes of the gate, Jonadab, son of Rechab, whose charge not to drink wine they so strictly obeyed, was zealous for God (2Ki 10:15-23). The Nabatheans of Arabia observed the same rules [Diodorus Siculus, 19.94].
bring … into … house of … Lord—because there were suitable witnesses at hand there from among the priests and chief men, as also because he had the power immediately to address the people assembled there (Jer 35:13). It may have been also as a reproof of the priests, who drank wine freely, though commanded to refrain from it when in the discharge of their duties [Calvin].
chambers—which were round about the temple, applied to various uses, for example, to contain the vestments, sacred vessels, &c.
3. Jaazaniah—the elder and chief of the clan.
4. man of God—a prophet (De 33:1; 1Sa 2:27; 1Ki 12:22; 2Ki 4:7), also "a servant of God" in general (1Ti 6:11), one not his own, but God's; one who has parted with all right in himself to give himself wholly to God (2Ti 3:17). He was so reverenced that none would call in question what was transacted in his chamber.
keeper of the door—Hebrew, "of the vessel." Probably the office meant is that of the priest who kept in charge the capitation money paid for the use of the temple and the votive offerings, such as silver vessels, &c. There were seven such keepers [Grotius]. Compare 2Ki 12:9; 25:18; 1Ch 9:18, 19, which support English Version.
I said … Drink—Jeremiah does not say, The Lord saith, Drink: for then they would have been bound to obey. Contrast the case in 1Ki 13:7-26.
6. Jonadab … our father—that is, forefather and director, three hundred years before (2Ki 10:15). They were called Rechabites, not Jonadabites, having received their name from Rechab the father, previously to their adopting the injunctions of Jonadab his son. This case affords no justification for slavish deference to the religious opinions of the Christian fathers: for Jonadab's injunction only affected matters of the present life; moreover, it was not binding on their consciences, for they deemed it not unlawful to go to Jerusalem in the invasion (Jer 35:11). What is praised here is not the father's injunction, but the obedience of the sons [Calvin].
7. tents—(Jud 4:17).
live many days—according to the promise connected with the fifth commandment (Ex 20:12; Eph 6:2, 3).
strangers—They were not of the stock of Jacob, but sojourners in Israel. Types of the children of God, pilgrims on earth, looking for heaven as their home: having little to lose, so that losing times cost them little alarm; sitting loose to what they have (Heb 10:34; 11:9, 10, 13-16).
8. all that he … charged us … all our days, we … wives … sons … daughters—unreserved obedience in all particulars, at all times, and on the part of all, without exception: in these respects Israel's obedience to God was wanting. Contrast 1Sa 15:20, 21; Ps 78:34-37, 41, 56, 57.
11. Chaldeans … Syrians—when Jehoiakim revolted from Nebuchadnezzar (2Ki 24:1, 2). Necessity sets aside all other laws. This is the Rechabites' excuse for their seeming disobedience to Jonadab in temporarily settling in a city. Herein was seen the prescient wisdom of Jonadab's commands; they could at a moment's notice migrate, having no land possessions to tie them.
14. obey … father's commandment: notwithstanding I—(Mal 1:6).
rising early and speaking—God Himself speaking late and early by His various ways of providence and grace.
15. In Jer 35:15 and in 2Ch 36:15, a distinct mode of address is alluded to, namely, God sending His servants. (Jer 18:11; 25:5, 6). I enjoined nothing unreasonable, but simply to serve Me, and I attached to the command a gracious promise, but in vain. If Jonadab's commands, which were arbitrary and not moral obligations in themselves, were obeyed, much more ought Mine, which are in themselves right.
17. because I have spoken … not heard … I … called … not answered—(Pr 1:24; Isa 65:12).
19. not want a man to stand before me—There shall always be left representatives of the clan to worship Me (Jer 15:1, 19); or, "before Me" means simple existence, for all things in existence are in God's sight (Ps 89:36). The Rechabites returned from the captivity. Wolff found traces of them in Arabia.