Jeremias 35
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Jeremias 35
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS This chapter is built around the faithfulness of the Rechabites to not drink wine. VERB ‒ "give to drink" ‒ BDB 1052, KB 1639, Hiphil PERFECT with waw, Jer. 35:2 VERB ‒ "drink" ‒ BDB 1059, KB 1667, Jer. 35:5,6 (twice), 8,14 (twice) The Rechabites are in contrast to the people of Judah who were not obedient to what they had heard. This chapter is not about total abstinence (see SPECIAL TOPIC: ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOLISM). This chapter is about faithfulness to a message. Be careful not to read your modern issues (total abstinence from the American temperance movement) into these ancient texts, where wine drinking was the societal norm. The VERB "hear" (BDB 1033, KB 1570) is used many times in this chapter (Jer. 35:8,10,13,14 [twice],15,16,17,18). The Rechabites "hear" but Judah does not! SPECIAL TOPIC: LISTEN/HEAR There is a sound play on words with שׁ (cf. Jer. 25:3-5; 29:19-20; 34:9-11). drink, שׁתה (twice), BDB 1059 hear, שׁמע (twice), BDB 1033 send, שׁלח (twice), BDB 1018 rise early, שׁכם (twice), BDB 1014 turn, שׁוב, BDB 996
Jeremias 35:1-11
35:1 "Jehoiakim" When one compares Jer. 34:2 it is easy to see how the book of Jeremiah is out of chronological order (chapters 35-36 precede 32-34). Someone compiled and edited his work, probably Baruch (cf. Jer. 32:12,13,16; 36:4,5,8,10,13,14,15,16; 43:3,6; 45:1,2). SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF THE DIVIDED MONARCHT 35:2 "the house of" This idiom means "the family of." ▣ "Rechabites" We do not know much about them (cf. 1 Chr. 2:55; Jdg. 1:16). They seem to be a nomadic Arab tribe related to Midionites or Kenites, the in-laws of Moses' first wife. Moses' father-in-law goes by four names — Jethro, Jether, Reuel, Hobab (cf. Exod. 2:18; 3:1; 4:18; Num. 10:29; Jdg. 4:11 and two titles — the Kenite, Jdg. 1:16 and "priest of Midian," Exod. 3:1; 18:1). For a good brief discussion, see Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, pp. 14-15. It is obvious that YHWH is commanding the testing of the family traditions of this family group. The test is intensified by bring them to the temple take into a private chamber tempt them with an abundance of wine to drink (IMPERATIVE in Jer. 35:5) 35:4 "the man of God" This phrase is used of Moses (cf. Deut. 33:1; Josh. 14:6) and prophets (cf. 1 Kgs. 12:22; 17:18,24; 20:28) but here it is used of one of their godly ancestors (i.e. Hanan). ▣ "the door keeper" This phrase (BDB 1036 CONSTRUCT BDB 706 II) denoted a very important position in the temple (cf. Jer. 52:24; 2 Kgs. 12:9; 25:18). This position was part of the Levitical temple police. 35:5 "pitchers" This Egyptian loan word (BDB 149, cf. Gen. 44:2,12) refers to very large bowls. 35:6 "Jonadab" This man is mentioned in 2 Kgs. 10:15-27). 35:6-7 There is a series (Qal IMPERFECTS) of things the original father of the family commanded his descendants not to do (i.e. stay nomadic). do not drink wine, Jer. 35:6c do not build a house, Jer. 35:7 do not sow seed do not plant a vineyard do not own a vineyard live in tents 35:7 "that you may live many days in the land" This phrase is similar to the phrase in Deuteronomy about honoring parents. This brings about a stable society. This is not a promise of a long life to individuals. (cf. Deut. 5:16,33; 4:40; 11:9). 35:11 Like so many of the people of the land, this family fled into the walled city of Jerusalem for protection. ▣ "before the army of the Chaldeans and before the army of the Arameans" The locality from which this faction of Neo-Babylon's mercenary military came is uncertain. Apparently, there was a nation north of Babylon and an ethnic group within Mesopotamia. They must have had a large enough affect and influence to be named in conjunction with the "Chaldean army." Also the nomadic family of the Rachabites to enter a walled city—it must have been a major military crisis! SPECIAL TOPIC: CHALDEANS
Jeremias 35:12-17
35:13 This is the key verse as to the theological point of the chapter (cf. Jer. 35:16-17). This family obeyed their father but Judah did not obey their Father (i.e. YHWH). 35:14 God sent His spokesperson again and again (lit. "rising up early"), but Judah would not hear and obey! 35:15 "I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them again and again" This is a recurrent theme of Jeremiah (cf. Jer. 7:13,25; 11:7; 25:3-4; 26:5; 29:19; 32:33; 35:14-15; 44:4). The Recabites heard and responded to one message by an ancient ancestor, but Judah rejected again and again the message of their God! SPECIAL TOPIC: CONSEQUENCES OF IDOLATRY SPECIAL TOPIC: SERVANT LEADERSHIP ▣ A sample of the message is recorded in Jer. 35:15. (an implied "if") turn ‒ BDB 996, KB 1427, Qal IMPERATIVE, cf. Jer. 18:11 amend ‒ BDB 405, KB 408, Hiphil IMPERATIVE, cf. Jer. 7:3; 18:11 do not go (walk) after other gods ‒ BDB 229, KB 240, Qal IMPERECT used in a JUSSIVE sense, cf. Jer. 7:6 (see note below) then you shall dwell in the land ‒ BDB 442, KB 444, Qal IMPERATIVE The conditional element of the message has been violated as the last line of Jer. 35:15 shows (cf. Jer. 7:24)! ▣ "go after other gods" This phrase first occurs in Deut. 11:28; 28:14 (the vocabulary and idioms used in Jeremiah are found in Deuteronomy). In Deuteronomy the phrase refers to knowing YHWH's commands but knowing and following another path (i.e. 1 Kgs. 14:8; 18:15,21) Note the usages in Jeremiah (cf. Jer. 7:6; 8:2; 11:10; 13:10; 16:10; 25:6; 35:15). SPECIAL TOPIC: CONSEQUENCES OF IDOLATRY 35:17 Notice the threefold emphasis on the One who is speaking the message. the Lord (YHWH), see SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D. the God of hosts (usually YHWH of hosts, cf. Jer. 35:18; see SPECIAL TOPIC: LORD OF HOSTS) the God of Israel (Elohim of Israel, cf. Jer. 35:18; see SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, C.) He "spoke" and "called," but Judah would not "listen" or "respond" (cf. Jer. 7:13,26,27; 26:5).
Jeremias 35:18-19
35:19 YHWH's promise is not that this family group will be a priest (i.e. "to stand before Me") in the temple, but that they will continue to be a family through time (including this crisis). There is no reasosn to think the prohibition to drinking wine is connected to either a priestly prohibition, Lev. 10:9 the Nazarites, Numbers 6 but to a prohibition to not settle down in one place and plant a vineyard. YHWH promises that this family group will survive the siege. ▣ "always" This is literally "all the days." This is an idiom of permanence (cf. Jer. 31:36; 32:39).