Jeremiah 35:14
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The words of Jonadab son of Rechab have been carried out. He commanded his sons not to drink wine, and they have not drunk it to this very day because they have obeyed the command of their forefather. But I have spoken to you again and again, and you have not obeyed Me!
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
A variety of methods is tried, and every stone turned, to awaken the Jews to a sense of their sin and to bring them to repentance and reformation. The scope and tendency of many of the prophet's sermons was to frighten them out of their disobedience, by setting before them what would be the end thereof if they persisted in it. The scope of this sermon, in this chapter, is to shame them out of their disobedience if they had any sense of honour left in them for a discourse of this nature to fasten upon. I. He sets before them the obedience of the family of the Rechabites to the commands which were left them by Jonadab their ancestor, and how they persevered in that obedience and would not be tempted from it (Jer 35:1-11). II. With this he aggravates the disobedience of the Jews to God and their contempt of his precepts (Jer 35:12-15). III. He foretels the judgments of God upon the Jews for their impious disobedience to God (Jer 35:16, Jer 35:17). IV. He assures the Rechabites of the blessing of God upon them for their pious obedience to their father (Jer 35:18, Jer 35:19).
Open source ↗35:14-16 The Recabites never drank wine, simply because their human ancestor had told them not to. The people of Israel should have been even more willing to listen and obey when the Lord told them to turn from their wicked ways and live according to his laws.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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For from the time I brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt until today, I strongly warned them again and again, saying, ‘Obey My voice.’
These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction.
Why was no one there when I arrived? Why did no one answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem you? Or do I lack the strength to deliver you? Behold, My rebuke dries up the sea; I turn the rivers into a desert; the fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst.
And now, because you have done all these things, declares the LORD, and because I have spoken to you again and again but you would not listen, and I have called to you but you would not answer,
But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.
They have turned their backs to Me and not their faces. Though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.
You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit admonished them through Your prophets. Yet they would not listen, so You gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.
I will do this because they have not listened to My words, declares the LORD, which I sent to them again and again through My servants the prophets. And neither have you exiles listened, declares the LORD.”
and if you do not listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have sent you again and again even though you did not listen,