Jeremiah 35:6-19

6But they said, “We will not drink wine, for 1Jonadab the son of 2Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall 3not drink wine, you or your sons, forever. 7You shall not build a house, and you shall not sow seed nor plant a vineyard, nor 4own one; but you shall live in 5tents all your days, so that you may live 6many days 7in the land where you 8live as strangers.’ 8And we have 9obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, 9nor to build ourselves houses to live in; and we 10do not have a vineyard, a field, or seed. 10But we have 11lived only in tents, and have obeyed and have done according to all that our father 12Jonadab commanded us. 11However, when 13Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come, and let’s 14go to Jerusalem away from the army of the Chaldeans and the army of the Arameans.’ So we have lived in Jerusalem.”

12Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 13“This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Go and say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “15Will you not accept instruction by listening to My words?” declares the Lord. 14“The 16words of Jonadab the son of Rechab have been followed, which he commanded his sons: not to drink wine. And they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. But I have spoken to you 17again and again, yet you have 18not listened to Me. 15Also I have sent to you all My 19servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying: ‘20Turn now every person from his evil way and amend your deeds, and 21do not follow other gods to worship them. Then you will 22live in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not 23inclined your ear or listened to Me. 16Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have 24followed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.’”’ 17Therefore this is what the Lord says, the God of armies, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, 25I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I 26spoke to them but they did not listen, and I have called them but they did not answer.’”

18Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Because you have 27obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands, and done according to all that he commanded you, 19therefore this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Jonadab the son of Rechab 28will not lack a man to 29stand before Me 30always.”’”