Chapter 35
1 The 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 ."
3 Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah , the son of Habazziniah , with his brothers , all his sons , and the whole house of the Rechabites ;
4 and 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 .
5 I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine , and cups ; and I said to them , " Drink wine !"
6 But 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 .
7 You 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.’
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 , we , our wives, our sons , or our daughters ;
9 and not to build houses for ourselves to dwell in . We have no vineyard , field , or seed ;
10 but we have lived in tents, and have obeyed , and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us .
11 But 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 .’"
12 Then 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 .
15 I 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 .
16 The 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 .’"
18 Jeremiah 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 ,’
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 .’"