Jeremiah 35
The full text of Jeremiah 35 in the Trinity Bible Version — clear modern English, translated from the original Hebrew. Free to read.
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD during the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:
2 Go to the Rechabite family and invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the house of the LORD and give them wine to drink.
3 So I went to get Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons — the whole Rechabite family —
4 and I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the room of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah the man of God, which was near the room of the officials and above the room of Maaseiah son of Shallum the doorkeeper.
5 Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the Rechabites and said to them, 'Drink some wine.'
6 But they replied, 'We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab gave us this command: "Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine.
7 Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents. Then you will live a long time in the land where you are strangers.
8 We have obeyed everything our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine
9 or built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields or crops.
10 We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather Jonadab commanded us.
11 But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded this land, we said, 'Come, let us go to Jerusalem to escape the Babylonian and Aramean armies.' So we have been living in Jerusalem.
12 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying:
13 This is what the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Will you not receive correction and listen to my words? declares the LORD.
14 The words of Jonadab son of Rechab that he commanded his sons not to drink wine have been carried out. Till this day they do not drink wine, for they have obeyed their forefather's command. But I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed me.
15 Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, 'Each of you, turn from your evil ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.' But you have not paid attention or listened to me.
16 The descendants of Jonadab son of Rechab have carried out the command their forefather gave them, but these people have not obeyed me.
17 Therefore this is what the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, says: Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen; I called to them, but they did not answer.
18 Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Rechabites: This is what the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says: You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.
19 Therefore this is what the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says: Jonadab son of Rechab will never fail to have a man to serve me.
Translation notes (6)
- Jeremiah 35:2a Heb. bêt harekābîm — the Rechabites: descendants of Jonadab/Jehonadab ben Rechab (2 Kgs 10:15-16), who enjoined abstinence from wine and settled life.
- Jeremiah 35:4a This refers to a precise location within the temple complex. A 'Man of God' means a prophet or a holy man, and the temple chamber provided a public and official setting for this object lesson.
- Jeremiah 35:6a Heb. Yônādāb ben Rekāb — Jonadab accompanied Jehu in the purge of Baal worship (2 Kgs 10:15-16). The Rechabite lifestyle = protest against Canaanite assimilation.
- Jeremiah 35:7a The Rechabite manifesto outlined their way of life: no wine, no houses, no agriculture, and no vineyards. This was a nomadic protest against the settled Canaanite culture and represented a lifestyle commitment to simplicity.
- Jeremiah 35:11a The crisis of the Babylonian invasion forced the Rechabites into the city, an exceptional circumstance that does not negate their covenant commitment.
- Jeremiah 35:19a The Hebrew phrase lōʾ-yiккārēt lᵉyônādāb...ʿōmēd lᵉpānay, meaning 'will not be cut off...to stand before me,' is a formula for lasting succession. This formula, typically used for the Davidic dynasty (Jeremiah 33:17) and the Levitical priesthood (Jeremiah 33:18), is applied to the Rechabites here, which is a remarkable honor.
About this translation
The Trinity Bible Version (TBV) is Trinity Bible's own modern English translation, worked directly from the original Hebrew and honest to the earliest manuscripts. It was completed in 2026 — the most modern English Bible translation — and is exclusive to Trinity Bible. Every chapter, including all of Jeremiah, is free to read here on the web.
Continue: Jeremiah 36 → · All of Jeremiah · About the TBV · Read Jeremiah 35 in the KJV
Get the app: iOS · Android · Trinity Plus