Jeremiah 35:18
New International Version
Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Rekabites, “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.’

New Living Translation
Then Jeremiah turned to the Recabites and said, “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed your ancestor Jehonadab in every respect, following all his instructions.’

English Standard Version
But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father and kept all his precepts and done all that he commanded you,

Berean Standard Bible
Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites: “This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you have obeyed the command of your forefather Jonadab and have kept all his commandments and have done all that he charged you to do,

King James Bible
And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you:

New King James Version
And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he commanded you,

New American Standard Bible
Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “This is what the LORD of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands, and done according to all that he commanded you,

NASB 1995
Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands and done according to all that he commanded you;

NASB 1977
Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands, and done according to all that he commanded you;

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have listened to the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands, and done according to all that he commanded you,

Amplified Bible
Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father and have kept all his commands and have done according to all that he commanded you,

Christian Standard Bible
But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said, “This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you have obeyed the command of your ancestor Jonadab and have kept all his commands and have done everything he commanded you,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites: “This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you have obeyed the command of your ancestor Jonadab and have kept all his commands and have done all that he commanded you,

American Standard Version
And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he commanded you;

Contemporary English Version
Then the LORD told me to say to the Rechabite clan: "I am the LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel. You have obeyed your ancestor Jonadab,

English Revised Version
And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he commanded you;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Jeremiah said to the family of Rechab, "This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: You obeyed the order of your ancestor Jonadab, followed all his instructions, and did exactly what he told you to do.

Good News Translation
Then I told the Rechabite clan that the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, had said, "You have obeyed the command that your ancestor Jonadab gave you; you have followed all his instructions, and you have done everything he commanded you.

International Standard Version
Then Jeremiah told the house of the Rechabites, "This is what the LORD God of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel says: 'Because you obeyed the commandment of your ancestor Jonadab, have observed all his commandments, and have done everything that he commanded you,'

Majority Standard Bible
Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites: ?This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ?Because you have obeyed the command of your forefather Jonadab and have kept all his commandments and have done all that he charged you to do,

NET Bible
Then Jeremiah spoke to the Rechabite community, "The LORD God of Israel who rules over all says, 'You have obeyed the orders of your ancestor Jonadab. You have followed all his instructions. You have done exactly as he commanded you.'

New Heart English Bible
Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according to all that he commanded you';

Webster's Bible Translation
And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according to all that he hath commanded you:

World English Bible
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,’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites: “Thus said YHWH of Hosts, God of Israel: Because that you have listened to the command of your father Jonadab, and you observe all his commands, and do according to all that he commanded you;

Young's Literal Translation
And to the house of the Rechabites said Jeremiah: 'Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, Because that ye have hearkened unto the command of Jonadab your father, and ye observe all his commands, and do according to all that he commanded you;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jeremiah said to the house of the Reehabites, Thus said Jehovah of armies, God of Israel, Because that ye heard to the command of Jonadab your father, and ye will watch all his commands, and ye will do all which he commanded you:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jeremias said to the house of the Rechabites: Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and have kept all his precepts, and have done all that he commanded you:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab, your father, and have kept all his precepts, and have done all that he has instructed you,

New American Bible
But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said: Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Since you have obeyed the command of Jonadab, your father, kept all his commands and done everything he commanded you,

New Revised Standard Version
But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said: Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of your ancestor Jonadab, and kept all his precepts, and done all that he commanded you,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he has commanded you,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And to the house of the Rekabites, Jeremiah said: “Thus says LORD JEHOVAH of Hosts, God of Israel: ‘Because you listened to the commandment of Yonadab your father and you kept all his commandments and you did everything that he commanded you
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And unto the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said: Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because ye have hearkened to the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he commanded you;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Since the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have hearkened to the command of their father, to do as their father commanded them:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judah Rebuked
17Therefore this is what the LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will bring to Judah and to all the residents of Jerusalem all the disaster I have pronounced against them, because I have spoken to them but they have not obeyed, and I have called to them but they have not answered.’ ” 18Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites: “This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you have obeyed the command of your forefather Jonadab and have kept all his commandments and have done all that he charged you to do, 19this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Jonadab son of Rechab will never fail to have a man to stand before Me.’ ”…

Cross References
Exodus 20:12
Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Ephesians 6:1-3
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. / “Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with a promise), / “that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on the earth.”

Deuteronomy 5:16
Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Proverbs 1:8
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.

Proverbs 6:20
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

Colossians 3:20
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.

Leviticus 19:3
Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must keep My Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.

Matthew 15:4
For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’

Mark 7:10
For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’

Luke 18:20
You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.’”

1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.

1 Kings 2:3-4
And keep the charge of the LORD your God to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes, commandments, ordinances, and decrees, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you turn, / and so that the LORD may fulfill His promise to me: ‘If your descendants take heed to walk faithfully before Me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’

2 Kings 18:6
He remained faithful to the LORD and did not turn from following Him; he kept the commandments that the LORD had given Moses.

2 Chronicles 31:21
He acted with all his heart in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law and the commandments, in order to seek his God. And so he prospered.

Psalm 119:4
You have ordained Your precepts, that we should keep them diligently.


Treasury of Scripture

And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, Thus said the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according to all that he has commanded you:

Because.

Exodus 20:12
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Deuteronomy 5:16
Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Ephesians 6:1-3
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right…

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Armies Commanded Commandment Hearkened Hosts House Israel Jeremiah Jonadab Kept Obeyed Precepts Rechabites
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Armies Commanded Commandment Hearkened Hosts House Israel Jeremiah Jonadab Kept Obeyed Precepts Rechabites
Jeremiah 35
1. By the obedience of the Rechabites,
12. Jeremiah condemns the disobedience of the Jews.
18. God blesses the Rechabites for their obedience.














Then Jeremiah said
The prophet Jeremiah, known as the "weeping prophet," is a central figure in this narrative. His role as a messenger of God is crucial, as he conveys divine messages to the people of Israel. The Hebrew root for "said" (אָמַר, 'amar) implies not just speaking, but declaring or proclaiming with authority. Jeremiah's words are not his own; they are divinely inspired, emphasizing the importance of obedience to God's commands.

to the house of the Rechabites
The Rechabites were a nomadic clan, descendants of Rechab, who lived in Judah. Their lifestyle was characterized by a strict adherence to the commands of their ancestor Jonadab, which included abstaining from wine and living in tents. This obedience set them apart as a model of faithfulness. Historically, their presence in Jerusalem during a time of siege (as described earlier in the chapter) highlights their commitment to their ancestral vows despite external pressures.

This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says
The phrase "LORD of Hosts" (יהוה צבאות, Yahweh Tseva'ot) underscores God's sovereignty and power. It is a title that conveys His command over the armies of heaven and earth. "The God of Israel" reaffirms His covenant relationship with His chosen people. This introduction to God's message emphasizes His authority and the seriousness of the pronouncement that follows.

Because you have obeyed the command of your forefather Jonadab
The Rechabites' obedience to Jonadab's command is a testament to their faithfulness and respect for their heritage. The Hebrew word for "obeyed" (שָׁמַע, shama) implies not just hearing, but listening with the intent to act. This obedience is a reflection of their commitment to uphold the values and instructions passed down through generations, serving as a powerful example of fidelity to one's beliefs.

and have kept all his commandments
To "keep" (שָׁמַר, shamar) in Hebrew means to guard, protect, or observe. The Rechabites' dedication to keeping Jonadab's commandments illustrates their unwavering commitment to their ancestral traditions. This steadfastness is commendable and serves as a contrast to the disobedience often exhibited by the people of Judah, highlighting the importance of faithfulness to God's commands.

and have done all that he commanded you
The phrase "have done" (עָשָׂה, asah) signifies action and fulfillment. The Rechabites not only listened to Jonadab's instructions but actively carried them out. This complete obedience is a model of integrity and devotion, demonstrating the blessings that come from living in accordance with one's convictions and the commands of God.

(18) Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father.--The words decide nothing as to the obligation of the commandment referred to upon others. The law which Jeremiah received as given by God laid down no such rule of life. A righteous life was possible without it (Jeremiah 22:15; Matthew 11:19). What he was taught to praise was the steadfastness and loyalty with which they adhered to a merely human precept, not at variance with the letter of any divine law, and designed, like the Nazarite vow, to carry the spirit of that law--the idea of a life-long consecration--to its highest point. The temper of faithfulness to any rule of life sanctioned by prescription, whether it be that of a school, a college, a guild, or a religious order, is in itself praiseworthy as compared with that of individual self-assertion and self-will.

Verses 18, 19. - A promise to the Rechabites (perhaps removed from its original connection). The form of the promise is remarkable; it runs, Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me forever. The phrase is, as Dr. Plumptre remarks, "all but essentially liturgical. It is used of the Levites (Deuteronomy 10:8; Deuteronomy 18:5, 7), of the worship of the patriarchs (Genesis 19:27), of the priests (1 Kings 8:11; 2 Chronicles 29:11; Nehemiah 7:65), of prophets (1 Kings 18:15), of priests and Levites together (Psalm 134:1; Psalm 135:2)." It is, however, rash, perhaps, to maintain, with the same acute scholar, that the Rechabites were adopted into the tribe of Levi. The phrase may be simply chosen to indicate the singular favour with which Jehovah regarded the Rechabites - a favour only to be compared to that accorded to his most honoured servants among the Israelites - the patriarchs, the priests, and the prophets.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Jeremiah
יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ (yir·mə·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3414: Jeremiah -- 'Yah loosens', the name of a number of Israelites

said
אָמַ֣ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to the house
וּלְבֵ֨ית (ū·lə·ḇêṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of the Rechabites:
הָרֵכָבִ֜ים (hā·rê·ḵā·ḇîm)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 7397: Rechah -- descendant of Rechab

“This is what
כֹּֽה־ (kōh-)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

the LORD
יְהוָ֤ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

of Hosts,
צְבָאוֹת֙ (ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ)
Noun - common plural
Strong's 6635: A mass of persons, reg, organized for, war, a campaign

the God
אֱלֹהֵ֣י (’ĕ·lō·hê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

says:
אָמַ֞ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘Because
יַ֚עַן (ya·‘an)
Adverb
Strong's 3282: Heed, purpose, to indicate the reason, cause

you have obeyed
שְׁמַעְתֶּ֔ם (šə·ma‘·tem)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

the command
מִצְוַ֖ת (miṣ·waṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 4687: Commandment

of your forefather
אֲבִיכֶ֑ם (’ă·ḇî·ḵem)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 1: Father

Jonadab
יְהוֹנָדָ֣ב (yə·hō·w·nā·ḏāḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3082: Jonadab -- 'the LORD is noble', a Rechabite, also a nephew of David

and have kept
וַֽתִּשְׁמְרוּ֙ (wat·tiš·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

his commandments
מִצְוֺתָ֔יו (miṣ·wō·ṯāw)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4687: Commandment

and have done
וַֽתַּעֲשׂ֔וּ (wat·ta·‘ă·śū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

all
כְּכֹ֥ל (kə·ḵōl)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

that
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

he charged you to do,
צִוָּ֖ה (ṣiw·wāh)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 35:18 Jeremiah said to the house (Jer.)
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