Jeremiah 35:1-11

Why do the Rechabites refuse the wine Jeremiah sets before them?

Berean Standard Bible

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: 2 “Go to the house of the Rechabites, speak to them, and bring them to one of the chambers of the house of the LORD to offer them a drink of wine.” 3 So I took Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons—the entire house of the Rechabites— 4 and I brought them into the house of the LORD, to a chamber occupied by the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, a man of God. This room was near the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah son of Shallum the doorkeeper. 5 Then I set pitchers full of wine and some cups before the men of the house of the Rechabites, and I said to them, “Drink some wine.” 6 “We do not drink wine,” they replied, “for our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us, ‘Neither you nor your descendants are ever to drink wine. 7 Nor are you ever to build a house or sow seed or plant a vineyard. Those things are not for you. Instead, you must live in tents all your lives, so that you may live a long time in the land where you wander.’ 8 And we have obeyed the voice of our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab in all he commanded us. So we have not drunk wine all our lives—neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters. 9 Nor have we built houses in which to live, and we have not owned any vineyards or fields or crops. 10 But we have lived in tents and have obeyed and done exactly as our forefather Jonadab commanded us. 11 So when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched into the land, we said: ‘Come, let us go into Jerusalem to escape the armies of the Chaldeans and the Arameans.’ So we have remained in Jerusalem.”

What is the context?

This episode returns to Jehoiakim’s reign. Jeremiah brings the Rechabites into a temple chamber and sets wine before them at the Lord’s direction.

They explain that their ancestor Jonadab commanded abstinence, tent dwelling, and avoidance of vineyards and settled farming. Their refusal expresses sustained family obedience.

They also explain their presence in Jerusalem: invading armies had driven them to seek safety there. This exception to their ordinary surroundings is openly acknowledged.

The next speech will use their faithfulness as a comparison with Judah. The scene does not make every element of their family rule a command to all people.

How is this passage commonly understood?

Wesley stresses their mobile way of life and notes that the book’s order is not a continuous chronology. His suggested social reasons for Jonadab’s restrictions are interpretation, beyond the family’s stated explanation of its obedience.

Where does this fit in God's plan?

Romans 14:1–23 places eating and abstaining under allegiance to the risen Lord and care for a neighbor’s conscience. This wider Christian teaching helps readers honor the Rechabites’ faithfulness without turning their household discipline into a universal condition of salvation. Paul does not quote Jeremiah 35.

What is our position?

We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.

Where can I study this further?

No deeper study linked yet.

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