Jeremiah 35

1 The word which came unto Jeremiah from Yahweh, —in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah saying:

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

2 Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak with them, and bring them into the house of Yahweh, into one of the chambers, —and give them, wine, to drink.

“Go to the house of the Rechabites, and speak to them, and bring them into Yahweh’s house, into one of the rooms, and give them wine to drink.”

3 So I took Jaazaniah, son of Jeremiah son of Habazziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, —and all the house of the Rechabites;

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 brought them into the house of Yahweh, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, a man of God, —which was beside the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah son of Shallum keeper of the porch;

and I brought them into Yahweh’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 and I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine, and cups, —and said unto them Drink ye wine.

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 Then said they, —We will not drink wine, —for Jonadab son of Rechab, our father, laid command upon us, saying, Ye shall not drink wine, ye, nor your sons, unto times age-abiding;

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 nor house, shall ye build nor, seed, shall ye sow, nor vineyard, shall ye plant, neither shall ye have them, —but in tents, shall ye dwell, all your days, that ye may live many days on the face of the soil where ye are sojourning.

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 So we have hearkened unto the voice of Jonadab, son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, —not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons nor our daughters;

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 us to dwell in, —and so, vineyard or field or seed, have we none;

and not to build houses for ourselves to dwell in. We have no vineyard, field, or seed;

10 but we have dwelt in tents, —and have hearkened and done, according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.

but we have lived in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.

11 And so it came to pass when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, —Let us even enter, Jerusalem, because of the force of the Chaldeans and because of the force of the Syrians: So have we dwelt in Jerusalem.

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 came the word of Yahweh unto Jeremiah, saying:

Then Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah, saying,

13 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, Go and say to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, —Will ye not receive correction by hearkening unto my words? Demandeth Yahweh:

“Yahweh 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 Yahweh.

14 Confirmed are the words of Jonadab son of Rechab—which he commanded his sons that they should not drink, wine, and they have not drunk until this day, for they have hearkened unto the command of their father, But, I, have spoken unto you, betimes, speaking, and ye have not hearkened, unto me.

“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 And I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, betimes, sending, saying, Return I pray you—every man from his wicked way, And amend your doings, And do not go after other gods to serve them, So shall ye remain on the soil which I gave to you, and to your fathers, —but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened, unto me.

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 Because the sons of Jonadab son of Rechab have, confirmed, the commandment of their father which he commanded them, —whereas, this people, have not hearkened unto me,

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, Thus, saith Yahweh, God of hosts, God of Israel, Behold me! bringing in against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, all the calamity, which I have spoken concerning them, —Because I spake unto them and they did not hearken, And I called to them and they did not answer.

“Therefore Yahweh, 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 But to the house of the Rechabites, said Jeremiah: Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, Because ye have hearkened unto the commandment of Jonadab your father, and have kept all his commandments, and done according to all that he commanded you

Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Yahweh 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, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, —Jonadab son of Rechab shall not want one to stand before me, all the days!

therefore Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jonadab the son of Rechab will not lack a man to stand before me forever.’”