King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 35:2 Mean?

Jeremiah 35:2 in the King James Version says “Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the cha...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 35 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Go 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.”

Jeremiah 35:2 · KJV

Context

1

The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,

2

Go 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.

3

Then 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;

4

And 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: door: Heb. threshold, or, vessel

Read Jeremiah 35 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Go unto the house of the Rechabites (בֵּית הָרֵכָבִים, beyt ha-Rekavim)—"house" means clan or family line. The Rechabites traced ancestry to Jehonadab (Jonadab) son of Rechab, who joined Jehu's purge of Baal worship (2 Kings 10:15-23) around 841 BCE. Their name preserves their forefather's identity; they defined themselves by ancestral covenant faithfulness. For 250+ years they maintained distinctive identity through strict adherence to their ancestor's commands: no wine, no agriculture, no permanent houses—remaining semi-nomadic shepherds in an agricultural society.

Bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers—God commands Jeremiah to perform an enacted parable. The temple chambers (lishkot) were side rooms where priests, Levites, and temple personnel worked and stored items. Bringing Rechabites into this sacred space elevates their obedience to teaching tool. The contrast is devastating: in God's own house, foreigners (Rechabites were Kenites, not ethnic Israelites—1 Chronicles 2:55) demonstrate covenant loyalty that God's own people lack.

Give them wine to drink—God instructs Jeremiah to test their obedience. This isn't tempting them to sin (God tempts no one, James 1:13); rather, it's creating a prophetic demonstration. Their refusal will preach louder than words. The Rechabites' predictable obedience to their human father's command will condemn Judah's disobedience to their divine Father's commands. Jesus later uses similar logic: Nineveh's repentance condemns Jesus's generation (Matthew 12:41), and the Queen of Sheba's seeking condemns those who reject greater wisdom (Matthew 12:42).

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Historical & Cultural Context

The Rechabites likely fled to Jerusalem from the Judean countryside during Babylonian or Aramean raids (35:11). Their presence in the capital created an opportunity for Jeremiah's enacted prophecy. These raids occurred during Jehoiakim's reign when he rebelled against Babylon after three years of vassalage (2 Kings 24:1-2). The Rechabites' counter-cultural lifestyle—refusing wine, living in tents, avoiding agriculture—was consciously anti-Canaanite, resisting the syncretistic religion and lifestyle that corrupted Israel. Their 250+ year faithfulness demonstrated that multigenerational covenant keeping was possible.

Reflection Questions

  1. What might modern equivalents look like to the Rechabites' counter-cultural lifestyle choices designed to preserve spiritual faithfulness?
  2. How does God using outsiders (non-Israelite Rechabites) to judge insiders (covenant Judah) challenge ethnic or cultural assumptions about God's favor?
  3. Why is long-term, multigenerational faithfulness to commitments so rare, and what enables it when it occurs?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 15 words
הָלוֹךְ֮1 of 15

“Go”

H1980

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

אֶל2 of 15
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

בֵּ֣ית3 of 15

“them into the house”

H1004

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

הָרֵכָבִים֒4 of 15

“of the Rechabites”

H7397

rekah, a place in palestine

וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣5 of 15

“and speak”

H1696

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

אוֹתָ֔ם6 of 15
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

וַהֲבִֽאוֹתָם֙7 of 15

“unto them and bring”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

בֵּ֣ית8 of 15

“them into the house”

H1004

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

יְהוָ֔ה9 of 15

“of the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

אֶל10 of 15
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

אַחַ֖ת11 of 15

“into one”

H259

properly, united, i.e., one; or (as an ordinal) first

הַלְּשָׁכ֑וֹת12 of 15

“of the chambers”

H3957

a room in a building (whether for storage, eating, or lodging)

וְהִשְׁקִיתָ֥13 of 15

“to drink”

H8248

to quaff, i.e., (causatively) to irrigate or furnish a potion to

אוֹתָ֖ם14 of 15
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

יָֽיִן׃15 of 15

“and give them wine”

H3196

wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 35:2 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 35:2 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1 Chronicles 2:551 Chronicles 9:261 Kings 6:5-61 Kings 6:10Ezekiel 40:7-131 Chronicles 23:28

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