1 The word which came unto Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu) from יהוה in the days of Yehoyaqim the son of Josiah (Yoshiyahu) king of Judah (Yehudah), saying,

2 “Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of יהוה, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.”

3 Then I took Yaanzanyah the son of Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu), the son of Chavatsinyah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites;

4 And I brought them into the house of יהוה, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Yigdalyahu, a man of God (Elohim), which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseyah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door:

5 And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, “Drink wine.”

6 But they said, “We will drink no wine, for Yonadav the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, ‘You shall drink no wine, neither you, nor your sons forever.

7 Neither shall you build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days you shall dwell in tents; that you may live many days in the land where you be strangers.’

8 “Thus have we obeyed the voice of Yonadav 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;

9 Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed.

10 But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Yonadav our father commanded us.

11 But it came to pass, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (Bavel) came up into the land, that we said, ‘Come, and let us go to Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syria (Aram).’ so we dwell at Jerusalem (Yerushalayim).”

12 Then came the word of יהוה unto Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu), saying,

13 “Thus saith יהוה of hosts (YHWH Tsevaot), the God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael): ‘Go and tell the men of Judah (Yehudah) and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), “Will you not receive instruction to hearken to My words?” saith יהוה.

14 “The words of Yonadav 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 you hearkened not unto Me.

15 “I have sent also unto you all My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, ‘Turn you now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods (elohim) to serve them, and you shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto Me.

16 “Because the sons of Yonadav the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto Me”’

17 “Therefore thus saith יהוה God of hosts (YHWH Elohei Tsevaot), the God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael); Behold, I will bring upon Judah (Yehudah) and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) 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.’”

18 And Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu) said unto the house of the Rechabites, “Thus saith יהוה of hosts (YHWH Tsevaot), the God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael): ‘Because you have obeyed the commandment of Yonadav your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you;

19 ‘Therefore thus saith יהוה of hosts (YHWH Tsevaot), the God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael): “Yonadav the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever.”’”