35:1 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 Geneva "Jer 27:1")
35:2 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.
35:4 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.
35:5 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.
35:6 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,
(2Ki 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.
35:10 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.
35:11 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.
35:13 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.
35:14 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.
35:17 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.
35:19 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.
