Jeremiah 35:5-10

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 35:1-11

This chapter is of an earlier date than many of those before; for what is contained in it was said and done in the days of Jehoiakim (Jer. 35:1); but then it must be in the latter part of his reign, for it was after the king of Babylon with his army came up into the land (Jer. 35:11), which seems to refer to the invasion mentioned 2 Kgs. 24:2; which was upon occasion of Jehoiakim's rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar. After the judgments of God had broken in upon this rebellious people he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 35:5

And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups ,.... Which the prophet might have out of the chambers where these vessels were, and particularly from Maaseiah, if he was a keeper of them, as before observed. The number of men gathered together was probably very large; and therefore pots, or large vessels of wine, were prepared, and set before them, and cups, lesser vessels, to drink out of: and I said unto them, drink ye wine ; he invited them to it,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 35:6

But they said, we will drink no wine ,.... Or "we do not drink wine" F5 לא נשתה יין "non hibimus vinum", Vatablus, Schmidt. ; we are not used to it; we never do drink any; it is not lawful for us to do it; nor will we, let who will solicit us: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father ; not their immediate father, but their progenitor; perhaps the same Jonadab is meant who lived in the times of Jehu, and rode with him in his chariot; by which it appears he was a man of note... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 35:7

Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard , nor have any ,.... That is, they were not to build houses, sow seed, or plant vineyards, for themselves, for their own profit and advantage; nor possess either of these through purchase or gift: all this was enjoined them, partly because they were strangers in the land of Israel, as is suggested in the latter part of the verse, and so were to have no inheritance in it; and partly because the pastoral life was what their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 35:8

Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father ,.... The above was the charge he gave them; and this, in every article of it, they had carefully and constantly kept, though it had been for the space of three hundred years, or thereabout; as follows: in all he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters ; which was the first of the precepts he gave them: and which they were now tempted to disregard, but were resolved to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 35:9

Nor build houses for us to dwell in ,.... This explains that part of the charge more fully, which respects building of houses; which did not restrain them from building houses for others, if any of them were masters of that art; which is not very likely, since they were wholly brought up in the field as shepherds; but it forbad them building any for themselves, and making use of them by dwelling in them: neither have we vineyard, nor field, or seed ; any piece of ground planted with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 35:10

But we have dwelt in tents ,.... Ever since, until very lately, when they had taken up their dwelling in Jerusalem; the reason of which is presently given: and have obeyed, and done according to all Jonadab our father commanded us ; and should it be objected, that in one point they had not obeyed, in that they had left their tents, and now dwelt in Jerusalem; they had this to say in answer to it, and as the reason of their so doing, as follows: read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 35:5

Pots full of wine, and cups - The cups were to draw the wine out of the pots, in order to drink it. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 35:6

We will drink no wine - The reason is given above. Their whole religious and political institution consisted in obedience to three simple precepts, each of which has an appropriate spiritual meaning: - 1. Ye shall drink no wine - Ye shall preserve your bodies in temperance, shall use nothing that would deprive you of the exercise of your sober reason at any time; lest in such a time ye should do what might be prejudicial to yourselves, injurious to your neighbor, or dishonorable to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 35:8

Thus have we obeyed the voice - We have considered these precepts so very reasonable, so very useful, so conducive to the health of both body and mind, and sanctioned by such a respectable antiquity that we scrupulously and religiously observe them. read more

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