Yirmeyah 35

1The Davar which came unto Jeremiah from Hashem in the days of Y'hoyakim Ben Yoshiyah Melech Yehudah, saying,

2Go unto the Bais of the Rechavim, and speak unto them, and bring them into the Beis Hashem, into one of the leshakhot (side rooms), and give them yayin to drink.

3Then I took Ya’azanyah Ben Jeremiah Ben Chavatzinyah, and his brethren, and all his banim, and kol Bais Rechavim;

4And I brought them into the Beis Hashem, into the lishkah (room) of the Bnei Chanan Ben Yigdalyahu, an Ish HaElohim, which was by the lishkah of the sarim, which was above the lishkah of Ma’aseiyah Ben Shallum, the Shomer HaSaf (Gatekeeper);

5And I set before the Bnei Bais Rechavim bowls full of yayin, and kosot (cups), and I said unto them, Drink ye yayin.

6But they said, We will drink no yayin; for Yonadav Ben Rechav avinu commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no yayin, neither ye, nor your banim ad olam;

7Neither shall ye build bais, nor sow zera, nor plant kerem (vineyard), nor have any; but all your days ye shall dwell in ohalim; that ye may live yamim rabbim in the adamah where ye are sojourners.

8Thus have we obeyed the voice of Yonadav Ben Rechav avinu in all that he hath charged us, to drink no yayin kol yameinu (all our days), we, our nashim, our banim, nor our banot;

9Nor to build batim for us to dwell in; neither have we kerem, nor sadeh, nor zera;

10But we have dwelt in ohalim, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Yonadav avinu commanded us.

11But it came to pass, when Nevuchadretzar Melech Bavel invaded ha'aretz, that we said, Come, and let us go to Yerushalayim because of the army of the Kasdim (Chaldeans), and because of the army of Aram (the Syrians); so we dwell in Yerushalayim.

12Then came the Devar Hashem unto Jeremiah, saying,

13Thus saith Hashem Tzva'os Elohei Yisroel: Go and tell the Ish Yehudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, Will ye not learn musar to pay heed to My devarim? saith Hashem.

14The devarim of Yonadav Ben Rechav, that he commanded his banim not to drink yayin, has been carried out; for unto this day they drink none, but obey the mitzvat avihem; notwithstanding, I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye paid heed not unto Me.

15I have sent also unto you all My avadim the Nevi'im, rising up early and sending them, saying, Turn ye now every ish from his derech hara'ah, and amend your doings, and go not after elohim acherim to serve them, and ye shall dwell in ha’adamah which I have given to you and to avoteichem; but ye have not inclined your ozen (ear), nor paid heed unto Me.

16Indeed the Bnei Yonadav Ben Rechav have carried out the mitzvat avihem, which he commanded them; but this people hath not paid heed unto Me:

17Therefore, thus saith Hashem Elohei Tzva'os Elohei Yisroel: Hineni, I will bring upon Yehudah and upon all the inhabitants of Yerushalayim all the ra'ah that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken unto them, but they have not paid heed; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.

18And Jeremiah said unto the Bais Rechavim, Thus saith Hashem Tzva'os Elohei Yisroel; Because ye have obeyed the mitzvat Yonadav avichem, and have been shomer over all his mitzvot, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you,

19Therefore thus saith Hashem Tzva'os Elohei Yisroel: Yonadav Ben Rechav shall not lack an ish to stand before Me kol hayamim.