Jeremiah 35

1 This is the word [message, revelation] that came to Jeremiah [whom Jehovah has appointed] from the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] in the days [period of time, era] of Jehoiakim [Jehovah raises up] son of Josiah [whom Jehovah heals] king [royal ruler] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah]: word study 2 “Go [to the location of, towards] to the house [dwelling place, family home] of the Rechabites [a clan known for their vows], speak [communicate, converse] to them, and bring [lead, guide] them to one [a single, unique] of the chambers [rooms, inner spaces] of the house [temple, sacred dwelling] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] to offer [give, provide] them a drink [portion, cup] of wine [fermented drink].” word study 3 So I took [received, got] Jaazaniah [Jezaniah, whom Jehovah hears] son of Jeremiah [whom Jehovah has appointed], the son of Habazziniah [Habaziniah, light of Jehovah], and his brothers [male siblings, relatives] and all [every single one] his sons [descendants, offspring]—the entire [whole, complete] house [family, clan] of the Rechabites [a family following strict rules, Rechabite community]— word study 4 and I brought them into the house [dwelling place, temple] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], to a chamber [room, inner room] occupied by the sons [descendants, family] of Hanan [a prophet’s name] son of Igdaliah [meaning Jehovah is great], a man [individual, person] of God [Elohim, the one supreme God]. This room was near [beside, adjacent to] the chamber [room, office] of the officials [rulers, leaders], which was above [higher than, over] the chamber [room, office] of Maaseiah [work of Jehovah] son of Shallum [a personal name] the doorkeeper [keeper of the threshold, guardian]. word study 5 Then I set [before them, in their presence] pitchers [jugs, containers] full [filled to the brim, abundant] of wine [fermented drink] and some cups [goblets, vessels] before the men of the house [family, dwelling place] of the Rechabites [a tribe in Judah], and I said to them, “Drink [consume, swallow] some wine [intoxicating beverage].” word study 6 “We do not [will not, refuse to] drink wine [fermented wine, intoxicating beverage],” they replied, “for our forefather [ancestor, father] Jonadab [a righteous man] son of Rechab commanded [gave orders, instructed] us, ‘Neither you [as individuals] nor your descendants [sons, offspring] are ever [till the end of time, forever] to drink wine [partake of intoxicating drinks]. word study 7 Nor are you ever to build [construct, establish] a house [dwelling place, home] or sow [plant, scatter] seed [offspring, descendants] or plant [establish, cultivate] a vineyard [garden, plot of land]. Those things are not for you [are not yours to have]. Instead, you must live [reside, dwell] in tents [nomadic homes, temporary shelters] all your lives [entire existence, every day], so that you may live [have life, thrive] a long time [many days, an extended period] in the land [earth, territory] where you wander [sojourn, travel as foreigners].’ word study 8 And we have obeyed [hearkened to, listened carefully] the voice [sound, spoken words] of our forefather [father’s father, ancestor] Jonadab [Jehovah is willing] son of Rechab [rider, one who travels] in all [everything, every matter] he commanded [gave orders, charged] us. So we have not drunk wine [fermented drink, intoxicating beverage] all our lives [days, lifetime]—neither we [us, ourselves] nor our wives [women, female companions] nor our sons [male children, descendants] and daughters [female children, offspring]. word study 9 Nor have we built [constructed, established] houses [places to dwell, homes] in which to live, and we have not owned [possessed, had title to] any vineyards [gardens for growing vines] or fields [land for cultivation] or crops [seed, produce]. word study 10 But we have lived [dwelt, remained] in tents [nomad’s homes, tabernacles] and have obeyed [heard and listened, given attention] and done [made, carried out] exactly as our forefather [father, ancestor] Jonadab [son of Rechab] commanded [gave orders, appointed] us. word study 11 So when Nebuchadnezzar [king of the Babylonian empire] king of Babylon marched into the land [the region of Judah], we said: ‘Come, let us go into Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Judah] to escape the armies [forces, military powers] of the Chaldeans [inhabitants of Chaldea, a region in Mesopotamia] and the Arameans [people of Aram].’ So we have remained [dwelled, taken up residence] in Jerusalem [the holy city].” word study 12 Then the word [message from God, divine communication] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] came [was given, existed] to Jeremiah [whom Jehovah has appointed, a major prophet]: word study 13 “This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [armies, a large group of people], the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob], says: Go [to walk, move spiritually] and tell the men [individuals, males] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah] and the residents [inhabitants, those who dwell] of Jerusalem [the city of peace]: ‘Will you not [is there no hope of] accept discipline [correction, guidance] and obey [listen to, heed] My words [utterances, declarations]?’ declares the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 14 The words [commands, instructions] of Jonadab [Jehonadab] son of Rechab have been carried out [fulfilled, obeyed]. He commanded [ordered, instructed] his sons not to drink [consume, partake of] wine [fermented drink, intoxicating beverage], and they have not drunk [consumed, imbibed] it to this very day [the present time, until now] because they have obeyed [listened to, followed] the command [instruction, directive] of their forefather [ancestor, father]. But I have spoken [communicated, addressed] to you again and again [repeatedly, continually], and you have not obeyed [listened to, heeded] Me [God, the Almighty]! word study 15 Again and again I have sent [repeatedly, time after time] you all My servants [faithful messengers, prophets] the prophets, proclaiming: ‘Turn now [return, come back], each of you, from your wicked [evil, bad] ways, and correct [amend, make right] your actions. Do not go after [follow, pursue] other gods [false deities, idols] to serve them. Live [dwell, reside] in the land [the earth, the promised territory] that I have given to you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined [turned, bent] your ear [your hearing, your attention] or listened to Me. word study 16 Yes, the sons [descendants, family] of Jonadab [Jehonadab, Jehovah is willing] son of Rechab [meaning rider] carried out the command [law] their forefather [father, ancestor] gave them, but these people [this nation, Amaw] have not listened [obeyed, hearkened] to Me [toward me, to my voice]. word study 17 Therefore [in this manner, thus] this is what the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of Hosts [armies, heavenly forces], the God [Elohim, the one true God] of Israel [the chosen people], says: ‘Behold, I will bring [cause to come, inflict] to Judah [the southern kingdom] and to all [every single one] the residents [inhabitants, dwellers] of Jerusalem [the city of peace] all [every kind of] the disaster [evil, calamity] I have pronounced [spoken, declared] against them, because [for the reason that] I have spoken [communicated, commanded] to them but they have not obeyed [listened, heard], and I have called [invited, summoned] to them but they have not answered [responded, replied].’” word study 18 Then Jeremiah [the prophet, whom Jehovah has appointed] said to the house [family, descendants] of the Rechabites: “This is what the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] of Hosts [armies, heavenly forces], the God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] of Israel [the chosen people], says: ‘Because you have obeyed [listened and followed] the command [instruction, law] of your forefather [ancestor, father] Jonadab [Jehonadab, whom Jehovah is willing] and have kept [preserved, protected] all his commandments [precepts, rules] and have done [performed, accomplished] all that he charged [commanded, instructed] you to do [fulfill, carry out], word study 19 this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [army, a large group of people or things], the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants], says: Jonadab [a man who lived during the Divided Monarchy] son of Rechab [meaning rider] will never fail [not, indicating absence or negation] to have a man [a male person or individual] to stand [in a strong sense, like in Exodus 17:12] before Me [in My presence, face to face] [for all time, forever, throughout all the days].’” word study