Chapter 35: The Rechabites’ Obedience vs. Judah’s Rebellion
(19 Pesukim)
Overview
Hashem uses the Rechabites as a living example to rebuke Judah. Their loyalty to their ancestor’s command contrasts sharply with Judah’s persistent disobedience to Hashem’s word. This chapter emphasizes faithfulness, covenant responsibility, and the reward for obedience.
- The Test of the Rechabites (35:1-16)
- The following is a prophecy that came to Yermiyahu from Hashem in the days of Yihoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu, the king of Judah.
- Hashem instructs Yermiyahu: Bring the Rechabite family [who were descendants of Yisro and were accustomed to not drink wine] into the Temple and offer them wine.
- Yermiyahu tests the Rechabites to drink wine: Yermiyahu then took Yaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons and the entire house of the Rechabites family into the Temple. He brought them to the Temple, to the chamber of the sons of Chanan the son of Yigdaliah, the man of God, which is by the chamber of the princes, which is above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the vessels. Yirmiyahu set glasses of wine before them and then instructed them to drink from it. They, however, chose to honor their tradition and refused to do so saying:
- “Our forefather Yonadav commanded us never to drink wine, build houses, plant vineyards, or own fields. We live in tents to preserve our days in the land.”
- They explain: They have obeyed these commands of their forefather for generations, even now while temporarily in Jerusalem due to Babylonian and Aramean threats.
- Hashem’s Rebuke to Judah (35:17-
After having shown the contrast and difference between the obedience of the Rechabites to their father versus the disobedience of the Jewish people to their God, Hashem now tells Yermiyahu of the ensuing consequences:
- Judah ignored Hashem’s repeated calls through prophets to repent, abandon idols, and live righteously. Despite urgent warnings, Judah refused to listen. Therefore: Disaster will come upon Judah and Jerusalem because they rejected Hashem’s voice.
- Reward for the Rechabites
- The Rechabites obeyed their ancestor’s words faithfully. Hashem therefore honors the Rechabites by saying: “Because you obeyed Yonadav and kept his commands, Yonadav’s descendants will always have someone who stands before Me.”
