It must be first observed, that the order of time in which the prophecies were written has not been retained. In history the regular succession of days and years ought to be preserved, but in prophetic writings this is not so necessary, as I have already reminded you. The Prophets, after having been... [ Continue Reading ]
_Go, _said he, _to the house of Rechab, _(we have said that they dwelt then at Jerusalem, and this will appear hereafter) _and bring them unto the house of Jehovah _But we must inquire why the Prophet was ordered to lay wine before them in the Temple rather than in a private house. The reason, indee... [ Continue Reading ]
Now the Prophet adds that he _took Jaazaniah, _who was a chief man, and as it were the head of the family. And he names his father, even _Jeremiah, the son of Habaziniah; _and he then says, _his whole house _It is added, that he _brought them into the Temple, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, t... [ Continue Reading ]
He says, that he _set wine before them _and requested them to drink when full cups were placed before them. Then he adds that they refused, _We will not drink wine, because Jonadab our father commanded us, saying, Drink ye no wine, nor build houses, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyards, nor have any su... [ Continue Reading ]
Jeremiah explains at large what might have been expressed in few words, in order to amplify the constancy of the Rechabites. For one may obey his father, and yet be not so fixed in his purpose, but that he might on some slight occasion fail in his duty. Jeremiah here shews that such was the prompt p... [ Continue Reading ]
They added, that they were _not to build houses, _literally, to inhabit them, that is, to dwell in them. It was then lawful for the Rechabites to construct houses, that is, to build them for others; but they were to be contented with tents, and to live in them. They might then assist others in build... [ Continue Reading ]
It hence appears that it proved advantageous to the Rechabites to observe what their father had commanded them: for had they been fixed to their possessions, they must have been driven into exile with the rest when the kingdom of Israel was destroyed; what happened to the ten tribes nmst have happen... [ Continue Reading ]
Here Jeremiah applies the example which he had related; for subjoined is God’s complaint, — that he was less regarded by his people than Jonadab was by his posterity. He then says, _Go and speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants ofJerusalem _To make the reproof the more effectual, the Prop... [ Continue Reading ]
It is then added, _confirmed have been the words of Jonadab _by his children; but my people do not obey me. But as we have said in the last lecture, the Prophet touches particularly on this circumstance, — that the Rechabites obeyed the command of their father in not drinking wine: this was hard; th... [ Continue Reading ]
He afterwards adds, that he was assiduous in teaching them, _rising early and speaking _By _speaking, _he intimates that he had daily repeated the same things, so that forgetfulness might not be pleaded by the Jews as an excuse: _I have spoken to you, rising up early and speaking, and ye obeyed me n... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prophet says nothing new here, but confirms what has been said before; and this he did, that the indignity of the people’s conduct might more fully appear, inasmuch as, on one hand, a mortal man, and he now dead, retained authority over his posterity, having once laid on them a restraint in a ma... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prophet, after having shewn that the Jews were so condemned by the example of the Rechabites, that there was no defense for them, now adds, — that as the word of God had been to them useless, it would now be efficacious against them. This is the purport of the verse. _I have spoken to them, _say... [ Continue Reading ]
Here the Prophet, that he might affect the Jews more deeply, promises a reward to the sons of Jonadab, because they obeyed their father; and he promises them a blessing from God. Nor is it to be wondered at, for this commandment, as Paul says, is the first to which a promise is annexed. (Ephesians 6... [ Continue Reading ]
So then God now, in order to excite and rouse the Jews, promises to bless the Rechabites, because they had been obedient to their father, _There shall not be cut off a man from Jonadab, _that is, from the offspring of Jonadab, _standing _(literally) _before my face; _but as the conciseness of the ve... [ Continue Reading ]