Open English Translation JER Chapter 35

35 Several years earlier, when Yehoyakim (Jehoiakim) son of Yoshiyah (Josiah) was the king of Yehudah (Judah), Yahweh had given Yirmeyah (Jeremiah) this message:[ref] 2 Go to the Rekavite clan and talk with them, then bring them into one of the rooms in my temple, and give them wine to drink. 3 So I took Yaazanyah (son of Yirmeyah, son of Havatsinyah) and his brothers and his sons, and all the rest of the Rekavite clan, 4 and I took them to the rooms of the sons of Hanan (son of Igdalyah, man of God) at the temple. Those rooms were beside the leaders’ room, which was above the room of Maaseyah (Shallum’s son), the gatekeeper. 5 Then I placed bowls and cups of wine in front of the Rekavites and told them to drink some.

6 But they responded, “We don’t drink wine, because our ancestor, Rekav’s son Yonadav, commanded all of us and our descendants not to ever drink any wine. 7 He also told us not to build any houses, or to plant any crops or vineyards, saying that we must always live in tents, so that we’d have long lives in the land that we’re staying in as foreigners. 8 We’ve obeyed the voice of our ancestor, Rekav’s son Yonadav in everything that he commanded us and we, our wives, and our children have never drunk wine in our lives. 9 We’ll never build houses to live in, or own any vineyards, fields, or seed. 10 We’ve lived in tents, and we’ve followed everything that our ancestor Yonadav told us, 11 but when the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar attacked the land, we decided that we must move to Yerushalem to escape from the Babylonian and Aramean armies, so now we’re all living in Yerushalem.

12 Then Yahweh gave this message to Yirmeyah, saying that 13 Yisrael’s god, Commander-in-chief Yahweh says to go and ask the people in Yehudah, including those who live in Yerushalem: Won’t you all accept correction and listen to my messages? This is Yahweh’s declaration: 14 Rekav’s son Yonadav told his descendants not to drink any wine and they’ve followed that to this very day. In contrast, I’ve personally and consistently spoken to all of you but you haven’t taken any notice of what I’ve said. 15 I persistently sent all my servants, the prophets, out to you all to tell each person to turn from their wicked behaviour and start doing good instead, and to stop following after other gods and serving them. Then they’d live on the land that I gave to your ancestors and to all of you, however, you all won’t listen to me or pay attention to me. 16 Yes, Yonadav’s descendants have followed the instructions that their ancestor gave them, but this people, refuses to obey me, 17 so Yisrael’s god, Commander-in-chief Yahweh, says this: Listen, I’m sending all the disasters that I pronounced for Yehudah, including everyone living in Yerushalem. I’m sending them against them because I spoke to them, but they wouldn’t listen. I called to them, but they wouldn’t answer.

18 Then Yirmeyah told the Rekavite clan that Yisrael’s god, Commander-in-chief Yahweh says this: You’ve all listened to the commands of your ancestor Yonadav and have kept them all. You’ve obeyed everything that he commanded you all to do, 19 so Yisrael’s god, Commander-in-chief Yahweh says this: There’ll always be someone descended from Rekav’s son Yonadav to serve me.