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 » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Jeremiah 35
Commentary on Jeremiah 35 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
The Example of the Rechabites
By the command of God, Jeremiah brings the family of the Rechabites (who had fled for refuge to Jerusalem before the approach of the Chaldeans) into one of the chambers of the temple, and sets before them some wine to drink (Jeremiah 35:1-5). They decline to drink, because the head of their family had forbidden them the use of wine, as well as the possession of houses and the cultivation of the soil, and had commanded them to live in tents (Jeremiah 35:6-11). Jeremiah is to put this before the people of Judah. The Rechabites faithfully observe the command of their ancestor, while the people of Judah transgress the commands of their God, which are continually presented to them (Jeremiah 35:12-16). Therefore the threatened calamity shall fall upon Judah; but the house of Rechab, as a reward for their faithfulness to the injunctions of their ancestor, shall continue for ever (Jeremiah 35:17-19).
According to Jeremiah 35:1, this word of the Lord came to Jeremiah in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, and, according to Jeremiah 35:11, previous to the arrival of Nebuchadnezzar and his host before Jerusalem; therefore perhaps in the summer of the year 606 b.c., for Jerusalem was taken for the first time by Nebuchadnezzar in the ninth month (December) of that year.
Jeremiah's dealings with the Rechabites - Jeremiah 35:2. Jeremiah is to go to the house, i.e., the family, of the Rechabites, speak with them, and bring them into tone of the chambers of the temple, and set before them wine to drink. בּית , Jeremiah 35:2, Jeremiah 35:3, Jeremiah 35:18, is exchanged for בּני בית־הרכבים , Jeremiah 35:5, from which it is apparent that "the house of the Rechabites" does not mean their dwelling-place, but the family, called in 1 Chronicles 2:55 בּית־רכב . According to this passage, the Rechabites were a branch of the Kenites, i.e., descendants of the Kenite , the father-in-law of Moses (Judges 1:16), who had gone to Canaan with the Israelites, and welt among them, partly in the wilderness on the southern frontier of the tribe of Judah (1 Samuel 15:6; 1 Samuel 27:10; 1 Samuel 30:29), partly at Kadesh in Naphtali (Judges 4:11, Judges 4:17; Judges 5:24). Their ancestor, or father of the tribe, was Rechab, the father of Jonadab, with whom Jehu made a friendly alliance (2 Kings 10:15, 2 Kings 10:23). Jonadab had laid on them the obligation to live in the special manner mentioned below, in order to keep them in the simplicity of nomad life observed by their fathers, and to preserve them from the corrupting influences connected with a settled life. לשׁכות , "cells of the temple," were additional buildings in the temple fore-courts, used partly for keeping the stores of the temple (1 Chronicles 28:12), partly as dwellings for those who served in it, and as places of meeting for those who came to visit it; see Ezekiel 40:17.
Jeremiah 35:3-4
In executing the command of the Lord, Jeremiah took (went for) Jaazaniah, son of Jeremiah, son of Habaziniah, and all his brethren, and sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites, and brought them into the temple-chamber of the sons of Hanan. Jaazaniah was probably the then chief of the Rechabites. The chamber of the sons of Hanan was situated next the princes' chamber, which stood over that of Maaseiah the door-keeper. Nothing further is known about Hanan the son of Jigdaliah; here he is called "the man of God," an honourable title of the prophets - see e.g., 1 Kings 12:22 - for, according to the usual mode of construction, אישׁ האלהים does not belong to Jigdaliah , but to Hanan , cf. Jeremiah 28:1; Zechariah 1:1. "The chamber of the princes" is the chamber where the princes, the chiefs of the people, used to assemble in the temple. Its position is more exactly described by ממּעל לל , "over the chamber of Maaseiah," but not very clearly for us, since the buildings of the temple fore-courts are nowhere else more exactly described; however, see on Jeremiah 36:10. Maaseiah was שׁמר הסּף , "keeper of the threshold," i.e., overseer of the watchmen of the temple gates, of which, according to Jeremiah 52:24 and 2 Kings 25:18, there were three, who are there mentioned along with the high priest and his substitute Maaseiah is probably the same whose son Zephaniah was כּהן המּשׁנה , cf. Jeremiah 52:24 with Jeremiah 37:3; Jeremiah 29:25, and Jeremiah 21:1.
Jeremiah 35:5-7
There, Jeremiah caused bowls filled with wine to be set before the Rechabites, and commanded them to drink. ( גּביעים are large goblets, bowls, out of which drinking-cups [ כּסות ] were filled.) But they explained that they did not drink wine, because their father, i.e., their ancestor, Jonadab had forbidden them and their posterity to drink wine for ever, as also to build houses, to sow seed, and to plant vineyards, i.e., to settle themselves down in permanent dwellings and to pursue agriculture. ולא יהיה לכם , "And there shall not be to you," sc. what has just been named, i.e., ye must not possess houses, growing-crops, or vineyards (cf. Jeremiah 35:9),
(Note: These injunctions, given by Jonadab to his posterity, that he might make them always lead a nomad life, are quoted by Diodorus Siculus, xix. 94, as a law among the Nabateans: Νόμος ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς μήτε σίτον σπείρειν, μήτε φυτεύειν μηδὲν φυτὸν καρποφόρον, μήτε οἴνῳ χρῆσθαι, μήτε οἰκίαν κατασεκυάζειν ; while the object of the law is stated to have been the maintenance of their freedom against the more powerful who sought to bring them into subjection. And even at the present day the Bedouins imagine that they are prevented, by the nobility of their descent from Ishmael, from engaging in agriculture, handicraft, or the arts; cf. Arvieux, Sitten der Beduinen-Araber , 5f.)
but ye are to dwell in tents all your life, that ye may live long, etc. This promise is an imitation of that found in Exodus 20:12.
Jeremiah 35:8-11
This command of their forefather they observe in all points, and therefore dwell in tents; and only because of Nebuchadnezzar's arrival in the country have they come to Jerusalem, in order to find refuge for a time from the army of the Chaldeans and that of Aram (the Arameans). The special mention of the army of Aram in connection with that of the Chaldeans is perhaps due to the frequent predatory incursions made, at an earlier period, on Israel and Judah by the Syrians. According to 2 Kings 24:2, after Jehoiakim had rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, hostile bands of Arameans invaded Judah for the purpose of laying waste the country.
The example of the Rechabites is one for Judah . - Jeremiah is to proclaim the word of the Lord to the people of Judah, as follows: Jeremiah 35:13. "Thus saith Jahveh of hosts, the God of Israel: Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction by listening to my words? saith Jahveh. Jeremiah 35:14. The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, who commanded this sons not to drink wine, are performed, and they have drunk no wine to this day, but have obeyed the command of their father. But I have spoken unto you, rising up early and speaking, yet ye have not listened unto me. Jeremiah 35:15. And I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Turn ye, now, every one from his evil way, and do good deeds, and do not go after other gods, to serve them; then shall ye dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers. But ye did not incline your ear, nor hearken unto me. Jeremiah 35:16. Yea, the children of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the commandment of their father which he commanded them, while this people have not hearkened unto me. Jeremiah 35:17. Therefore, thus saith Jahveh, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring upon Judah and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil which I have uttered regarding them, because I spake unto them and they did not hear, and I called unto them, but they did not answer. Jeremiah 35:18. And to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said: Thus saith Jahveh of hosts, the God of Israel, Because ye have listened to the command of Jonadab your father, and have kept all his commandments, and have done according to all that he commanded you, Jeremiah 35:19. Therefore, thus saith Jahveh of hosts, the God of Israel, Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever."