The Rechabites Commended The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoi′akim the son of Josi′ah, king of Judah:
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
And it came to pass in the fourth year of Sedekias king of Juda, in the fifth month, that Ananias the false prophet, the son of Azor, from Gabaon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord, in the sight of the priests and all the people, saying,
“Go to the house of the Rech′abites, and speak with them, and bring them to the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers; then offer them wine to drink.”
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
Thus saith the Lord; I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
I brought them to the house of the Lord into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdali′ah, the man of God, which was near the chamber of the princes, above the chamber of Ma-asei′ah the son of Shallum, keeper of the threshold.
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
and Jechonias, and the captivity of Juda: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.
But they answered, “We will drink no wine, for Jon′adab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, ‘You shall not drink wine, neither you nor your sons for ever;
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
and Jeremias said, May the Lord indeed do thus; may he confirm thy word which thou dost prophesy, to return the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the captivity, out of Babylon to this place.
you shall not build a house; you shall not sow seed; you shall not plant or have a vineyard; but you shall live in tents all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.’
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
Nevertheless hear ye the word of the Lord which I speak in your ears, and in the ears of all the people.
We have obeyed the voice of Jon′adab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, to drink no wine all our days, ourselves, our wives, our sons, or our daughters,
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
The prophets that were before me and before you of old, also prophesied over much country, and against great kingdoms, concerning war.
But when Nebuchadrez′zar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chalde′ans and the army of the Syrians.’ So we are living in Jerusalem.”
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
And Ananias spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus said the Lord; Thus will I break the yoke of the king of Babylon from the necks of all the nations. And Jeremias went his way.
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will you not receive instruction and listen to my words? says the Lord.
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
Go and speak to Ananias, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but I will make instead of them yokes of iron.
The command which Jon′adab the son of Rechab gave to his sons, to drink no wine, has been kept; and they drink none to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me.
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
For thus said the Lord, I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all the nations, that they may serve the king of Babylon.
I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, ‘Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land which I gave to you and your fathers.’ But you did not incline your ear or listen to me.
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
And Jeremias said to Ananias, The Lord has not sent thee; and thou hast caused this people to trust in unrighteousness.
Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing on Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken to them and they have not listened, I have called to them and they have not answered.”
But to the house of the Rech′abites Jeremiah said, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of Jon′adab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done all that he commanded you,