1The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah , saying , 2Go unto the house of the Rechabites , and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the LORD , into one of the chambers , and give them wine to drink . 3Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah , the son of Habaziniah , and his brethren , and all his sons , and the whole house of the Rechabites ; 4And I brought them into the house of the LORD , into the chamber of the sons of Hanan , the son of Igdaliah , a man of God , which was by the chamber of the princes , which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum , the keeper of the door : 5And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine , and cups , and I said unto them, Drink ye wine . 6But they said , We will drink no wine : for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying , Ye shall drink no wine , neither ye , nor your sons for ever : 7Neither shall ye build house , nor sow seed , nor plant vineyard , nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents ; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers . 8Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days , we, our wives , our sons , nor our daughters ; 9Nor to build houses for us to dwell in : neither have we vineyard , nor field , nor seed : 10But we have dwelt in tents , and have obeyed , and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. 11But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land , that we said , Come , and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans , and for fear of the army of the Syrians : so we dwell at Jerusalem .
God's Message to Israel
12Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah , saying , 13Thus saith the LORD of hosts , the God of Israel ; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem , Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words ? saith the LORD . 14The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab , that he commanded his sons not to drink wine , are performed ; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment : notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking ; but ye hearkened not unto me. 15I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets , rising up early and sending them , saying , Return ye now every man from his evil way , and amend your doings , and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers : but ye have not inclined your ear , nor hearkened unto me. 16Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father , which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me:
The Consequences of Disobedience
17Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts , the God of Israel ; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard ; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered . 18And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites , Thus saith the LORD of hosts , the God of Israel ; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father , and kept all his precepts , and done according unto all that he hath commanded you: 19Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts , the God of Israel ; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever .