1The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, [in] the days of Jehoyakim the son of Josiah the king of Judah, saying,
2Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak with them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers, and offer them wine to drink.
3Then I took Yaazanyah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Chabazzinyah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites;
4And I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Chanan, the son of Yigdalyahu, the man of God, which was alongside of the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Ma'aseyahu the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door:
5And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites goblets full of wine, and cups; and I said unto them, Drink wine.
6But they said, We will not drink wine; for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father hath laid a charge on us, saying, Ye shall not drink wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever;
7Nor shall ye build any house, nor sow seed, nor plant a vineyard, nor have [any such]; but in tents shall ye dwell all your days, in order that ye may live many days on the face of the land where ye may sojourn.
8And we have hearkened unto the voice of Jehonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, not to drink any wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, and our daughters;
9And not to build houses for our dwelling: and we never had any vineyard, or field, or seed;
10But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done in accordance with all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
11But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go into Jerusalem because of the army of the Chaldeans, and because of the army of the Syrians; and so we dwell at Jerusalem.
12Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,
13Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Go and say to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the Lord.
14Fulfilled are the words of Jehonadab the son of Rechab, that he hath commanded his sons not to drink wine: and they have not drunk any even unto this day; because they have obeyed the commandment of their father; but I, I have spoken unto you, early in the day and speaking; but ye have not hearkened unto me.
15And I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets, making them rise up early and sending them, saying, Do but return every man from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and go not after other gods to serve them: and so shall ye remain in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers; but ye have not inclined your ear, and have not hearkened unto me.
16Because the sons of Jehonadab the son of Rechab have fulfilled the commandment of their father, which he hath commanded them; but as this people have not hearkened unto me:
17Therefore thus hath said the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have spoken concerning them; because I spoke unto them, but they would not hear; and I called unto them, but they would not answer.
18And unto the house of the Rechabites said Jeremiah, Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Whereas ye have hearkened to the charge of Jonadab your father, and have kept all his commandments, and have done in accordance with all that he hath commanded you:
19Therefore thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, There shall not be wanting unto Jehonadab the son of Rechab a man to stand before me at all times.