Jeremiah 35:10 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 35:10 mean?

Jeremiah 35:10 describes how a group of people, the descendants of Jonadab, have faithfully lived in tents and followed every command their ancestor gave them. They are explaining that they have obeyed these instructions out of respect for Jonadab, their forefather.

In this verse, the Rechabites are speaking to Jeremiah, explaining their way of life. The context is that God told Jeremiah to test the Rechabites by offering them wine, but they refused because Jonadab had commanded them not to drink wine or settle in houses. This verse shows their loyalty and obedience to their ancestor’s instructions, highlighting their commitment in contrast to the disobedience of the people of Judah.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 35:10

• "tents" (אֹהָלִים, ’ohalim): This word means tents or temporary dwellings. The Rechabites’ choice to live in tents shows a deliberate lifestyle of simplicity and separation from settled city life, as Jonadab commanded.
• "obeyed" (שָׁמַע, shama‘): This word often means to listen attentively or obey. The Rechabites stress that their actions are not just tradition but a conscious act of obedience to their ancestor’s voice.
• "done" (עָשָׂה, ‘asah): This word means to do or carry out. The Rechabites emphasize that they have actively carried out all the commands, not just passively agreed with them.
• "commanded" (צָוָה, tsavah): This word means to command or give an order. The Rechabites highlight that their way of life is based on a direct command from Jonadab, not a casual suggestion.

Why Jeremiah 35:10 matters

• This verse clears up that the Rechabites’ lifestyle was not random or cultural but a result of specific commands from their ancestor, showing intentional obedience.
• Jeremiah 35:10 highlights a contrast between the Rechabites’ faithfulness to human tradition and the people of Judah’s failure to obey God’s commands, which is a key point in the chapter.
• The verse helps readers understand the seriousness with which the Rechabites treated their ancestor’s words, setting up a lesson about loyalty, obedience, and faithfulness in the wider passage.