Jeremiah 35 Study Notes

35:1-19 After devoting several chapters to King Zedekiah, Jeremiah returns to a decade earlier when Zedekiah’s older brother Jehoiakim ruled Judah (609-598 BC).

35:2 The house [household] of the Rechabites is known largely from this chapter. Their founder was Jonadab or Jehonadab, son of Rechab, who lived under King Jehu of the northern kingdom. Jehonadab apparently supported the king’s radical reform movements (2Kg 10:15-23), which included demolishing the Baal cult and other elements of Canaanite culture. The Rechabites also promised their ancestor that they would not build houses or plant vineyards, apparently so they would be able to remain mobile. They were devout worshipers of the Lord. The Lord told Jeremiah to invite the Rechabites into the temple to offer them a drink of wine.

35:3-4 Jaazaniah and Habazziniah are not mentioned elsewhere. The father of Jaazaniah, identified here as Jeremiah, is not the unmarried prophet. Jaazaniah must have been the head of the Rechabites at this time.

35:4 The chamber Jeremiah used for this occasion was near the officials’ chamber, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah son of Shallum the doorkeeper. Maaseiah may have been the father of the priest Zephaniah (21:1; 29:25; 37:3).

35:5 The jars filled with wine were large drinking bowls with dipping cups. Drink wine, Jeremiah invited them.

35:6-11 The Rechabites declined the offer of wine, making it clear that they had obeyed Jonadab, son of . . . Rechab, in all he commanded them. Their rejecting a sedentary culture and its trappings, such as wine cultivation and indulgence, was just the illustration Jeremiah needed to teach obedience to the Lord’s commands.

35:12-16 Judah is being rebuked here. Three times in these verses Jeremiah contrasted the Rechabites’ obedience to a human command with Judah’s disobedience to the living God.

35:17-19 Disaster would be Judah’s lot because of her persistent disobedience, but the Rechabites would never fail to have a man to stand before me always. The phrase stand before the Lord is used for those who serve him (7:10; 15:19; Dt 4:10; 10:8; 1Kg 17:1; 18:15; 2Kg 3:14). What happened to the Rechabites after 587 BC is unknown except for Malchijah son of Rechab. He repaired the Dung Gate in the days of Nehemiah (Neh 3:14).