Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah ,.... After the Rechabites had been tried whether they would break the command of their father, respecting drinking of wine; and steadfastly persisted in their resolution not to drink, urging the reason of it, and vindicating their conduct in another respect: saying ; as follows: read more
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel ,.... The Lord of armies in heaven and earth; the Creator of Israel; their benefactor, covenant God and Father and whom they professed to worship; God and not man; infinitely greater than Jonadab, whose precepts had been observed by his posterity: go and tell the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem ; this is an order to the prophet to remove from the chamber where he was with the Rechabites, and go to the court of the people,... read more
The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons, not to drink wine, are performed ,.... That article particularly, respecting drinking wine, has been carefully observed; which, though so agreeable to the nature of man, what cheers the heart of God and man, and was not prohibited them by any law of God; yet, being forbidden by their father, they abstained from it: for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment ; though prescribed them three... read more
I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets ,.... One after another, ever since the times of Moses, to explain and enforce the laws given; a circumstance not to be observed in the case of the Rechabites; who yet, without such intimations, kept the charge their father gave them: rising up early, and sending them ; see Jeremiah 7:13 ; saying, return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them ; all which were of a... read more
Because the son of Jonadab the son of Rechab ,.... Here we have the contrast between the Rechabites and the Israelites; the obedience of the one, and the disobedience of the other; the design of which is to aggravate and expose the sin of the Jews, since the former have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them ; that particular commandment of not drinking wine, which they had never once violated in such a course of time; nor could they now be prevailed upon,... read more
Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel ,.... Provoked by such ill usage: behold, I will bring upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, all the evil that I have pronounced against them : which Abarbinel interprets of all the threatenings and curses in the law and the prophets respecting the Jews, until the times of Jeremiah; though it may more especially intend the evil, God by him had pronounced upon them; namely, that the Chaldean army should come... read more
And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites ,.... To the family of them, to those that were with him in the temple, and while they were there; and what he said to them, which is as follows, was by the order and direction of the Lord: thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel ; he uses the same titles, when speaking to them, as to the Jews, expressive of his sovereignty, power, and grace: because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father ; that particular... read more
Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel ,.... Who has enjoined children obedience to their parents, and has promised to reward it, and does: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever ; which may be understood of a long time, of ages to come; or as long as the people of the Jews were a people, or the world should stand, the posterity of this man should continue: or, "a man shall not be cut off from Jonadab &c.;" F8 לא יכרת ... read more
The words of Jonadab - are performed - but ye hearkened not unto me - The Lord, knowing the fidelity of this people, chose to try them in this way, that he might, by their conscientious obedience to the precepts of their forefathers, show the Jews, to their confusion, their ingratitude to him, and their neglect of his precepts, which if a man do, he shall live by them. read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 35:12-19
The trial of the Rechabites? constancy was intended but for a sign; now here we have the application of it. I. The Rechabites? observance of their father's charge to them is made use of as an aggravation of the disobedience of the Jews to God. Let them see it and be ashamed. The prophet asks them, in God's name, ?Will you not at length receive instruction? Jer. 35:13. Will nothing affect you? Will nothing fasten upon you? Will nothing prevail to discover sin and duty to you? You see how... read more