Jeremiah 35

1The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying,

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

3Then I took Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah son of Habazziniah, his brothers, all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites.

4I brought them into Yahweh's house, to the chamber of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah the man of God, next to the chamber of the princes that was above the chamber of Maaseiah son of Shallum the keeper of the threshold.

5I set bowls full of wine and cups before the sons of the house of the Rechabites, and I said to them, “Drink wine!”

6They said, "We will drink no wine, for Jonadab son of Rechab, our father, commanded us: 'You and your sons must drink no wine forever.'"

7You shall not build a house, nor sow seed, nor plant a vineyard, nor possess any, but all your days you shall dwell in tents, so that you may live many days upon the face of the ground where you are sojourning.

8We obeyed the voice of Jonadab son of Rechab our father in all he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days—we, our wives, our sons, and our daughters.

9nor build houses for us to live in; we have no vineyard, field, or seed.

10We have lived in tents, given heed, and done all that Jonadab our father commanded us.

11When Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, "Come, let us go to Jerusalem because of the Chaldean army and because of the Syrian army," so we dwell in Jerusalem.

12Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, saying,

13Thus says Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel: Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will you not accept instruction to listen to my words? declares Yahweh.

14The words of Jonadab son of Rechab that he commanded his sons not to drink wine have been accomplished; to this day they have not drunk any, for they have heeded their father's commandment, but I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, and you have not heeded me.

15I have also sent all my servants the prophets to you, rising early and sending them to say, "Return now, every man from his evil way, and improve your deeds, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and dwell in the land that I gave to you and your fathers; but you have not inclined your ear nor listened to me."

16Because the sons of Jonadab son of Rechab have upheld their father's command that he charged them with, but this people has not heeded me.

17Therefore thus says Yahweh, God of Hosts, God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing calamity upon Judah and upon all who dwell in Jerusalem, all the calamity that I have spoken against them; because I have spoken to them, but they did not listen, and I called to them, but they did not answer.

18Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, "Thus says Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel: Because you obeyed your father Jonadab's commandment, kept all his instructions, and did everything he commanded you."

19Therefore thus says Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel: A man shall not be cut off from Jonadab son of Rechab who stands before me always.