The Family Line of Rekab
1A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah. It came during the time Jehoiakim was king over Judah. Jehoiakim was the son of Josiah. The message said, 2“Go to the members of the family line of Rekab. Invite them to come to one of the side rooms in my house. Then give them wine to drink.”
3So I went to get Jaazaniah. He was the son of Jeremiah. Jeremiah was the son of Habazziniah. I also went to get Jaazaniah’s brothers and all his sons. That included all the members of the family line of Rekab. 4I brought them into the Lord’s house. I took them into the room of the sons of Hanan. He was the son of Igdaliah. He was also a man of God. His room was next to the room of the officials. Their room was above the room of Maaseiah. He was the son of Shallum. He also was one of those who guarded the temple doors. 5Then I got bowls full of wine and some cups. I set them down in front of the men from the family line of Rekab. I said to them, “Drink some wine.”
6But they replied, “We don’t drink wine. That’s because Jehonadab gave us a command. He was the son of Rekab. He was also one of our own people from long ago. He commanded, ‘You and your children after you must never drink wine. 7Also you must never build houses. You must never plant crops or vineyards. You must never have any of these things. Instead, you must always live in tents. Then you will live a long time in the land where you are wandering around.’ 8We have done everything Jehonadab, the son of Rekab, commanded us to do. So we and our wives and our children have never drunk wine. 9We have never built houses to live in. We’ve never had vineyards, fields or crops. 10We’ve always lived in tents. We’ve completely obeyed everything Jehonadab commanded our people of long ago. 11But Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, marched into this land. Then we said, ‘Come. We must go to Jerusalem. There we can escape the armies of Babylon and Aram.’ So we have remained in Jerusalem.”
12Then a message from the Lord came to Jeremiah. It said, 13“The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, ‘Go. Speak to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Tell them, “Won’t you ever learn a lesson? Won’t you ever obey my words?” announces the Lord. 14“Jehonadab, the son of Rekab, ordered his children not to drink wine. And they have kept his command. To this day they do not drink wine. They obey the command Jehonadab gave their people long ago. But I have spoken to you again and again. In spite of that, you have not obeyed me. 15Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, ‘Each of you must turn from your evil ways. You must change the way you act. Do not worship other gods. Do not serve them. Then you will live in the land. I gave it to you and your people of long ago.’ But you have not paid any attention. You have not listened to me. 16The children of Jehonadab, the son of Rekab, have obeyed the command Jehonadab gave them long ago. But the people of Judah have not obeyed me.” ’ ”
17So the Lord God who rules over all speaks. The God of Israel says, “Listen! I am going to bring horrible trouble on Judah. I will also bring it on everyone who lives in Jerusalem. I will bring on them every trouble I said I would. I spoke to them. But they did not listen. I called out to them. But they did not answer.”
18Then Jeremiah spoke to the members of the family line of Rekab. Jeremiah said, “The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, ‘You have obeyed the command Jehonadab gave your people of long ago. You have followed all his directions. You have done everything he ordered.’ 19So the Lord who rules over all speaks. The God of Israel says, ‘Jehonadab, the son of Rekab, will always have someone from his family line to serve me.’ ”
Rekabfo
1Eyi ne asɛm a efi Awurade nkyɛn baa Yeremia hɔ wɔ bere a na Yudahene Yosia babarima Yehoiakim di ade no: 2“Kɔ Rekabfo abusua no nkyɛn, na to nsa frɛ wɔn na wɔmmra Awurade fi no pia baako mu, na ma wɔn nsa nnom.”
3Enti mekɔpɛɛ Habasinia babarima Yeremia babarima Yaasania ne ne nuabarimanom ne ne mmabarima nyinaa, Rekabfo abusuadɔm no. 4Mede wɔn baa Awurade fi, na mede wɔn kɔɔ Onyame nipa Yigdalia babarima Hanan mmabarima dan mu. Ɛno na edi adwumayɛfo dan a esi ɔpon ano hwɛfo Salum babarima Maaseia dan atifi no so. 5Afei mede nkuruwa ne nkora a nsa wɔ mu besisii Rekabfo abusuamma no anim na meka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Monnom nsa kakra.”
6Nanso wobuae se, “Yɛnnnom nsa,35.6 Yɛnnnom nsa—Rekabfo daa daa ntam a wɔaka. (4 Mose 6.2-3,20; Ate 13.4-7) efisɛ yɛn nena Rekab babarima Yehonadab maa yɛn ɔhyɛ nsɛm yi se, ‘Ɛnsɛ sɛ mo anaa mo asefo nom nsa. 7Na afei ɛnsɛ sɛ musisi afi, mudua anaa moyɛ bobe nturo, ɛnsɛ sɛ moyɛ eyinom mu biara, na mmom montena ntamadan mu bere biara. Ɛno na mo nkwanna bɛware, wɔ asase a moyɛ atutenafo wɔ so no so.’ 8Yɛatie biribiara a yɛn nena Rekab babarima Yonadad hyɛɛ yɛn no. Na yɛn, yɛn yerenom, mmabarima ne mmabea nnom nsa da 9na yensisii afi ntenaa mu anaa yennyaa bobe nturo anaa mfuw anaa nnɔbae. 10Yɛatenatena ntamadan mu, na yɛadi biribiara a yɛn nena Yehonadab hyɛɛ yɛn no so pɛpɛɛpɛ. 11Nanso bere a Babiloniahene Nebukadnessar tuu asase yi so sa no, yɛkae se, ‘Mommra, ɛsɛ sɛ yɛkɔ Yerusalem na yeguan fi Babiloniafo ne Aramfo asraafo anim.’ Ɛno nti yɛaka Yerusalem.”
12Afei Awurade asɛm baa Yeremia nkyɛn se, 13“Sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, se: Kɔ na kɔka kyerɛ mmarima a wɔwɔ Yuda ne Yerusalem se, ‘Morensua biribi na morentie mʼasɛm ana?’ Awurade na ose. 14‘Rekab ba Yehonadab hyɛɛ ne mmabarima sɛ wɔnnom nsa, na wɔadi saa ɔhyɛ yi so. De besi nnɛ wɔnnom nsa, efisɛ wodi wɔn agyanom ahyɛde so. Na makasa akyerɛ mo mpɛn bebree, nanso muntiee me. 15Mesomaa mʼasomfo adiyifo nyinaa baa mo nkyɛn mpɛn bebree. Wɔkae se, “Ɛsɛ sɛ mo mu biara sakra fi nʼamumɔyɛ akwan so, na moma mo akwan teɛ; munnni anyame foforo akyi na monnsom wɔn. Ɛno na mobɛtena asase a mede ama mo ne mo agyanom yi so.” Nanso mummmuaa me na munntiee me ɛ. 16Rekab babarima Yehonadab asefo adi ahyɛde a wɔn agyanom de maa wɔn no so, nanso saa nnipa yi ntie mʼasɛm.’
17“Ɛno nti, sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade Nyankopɔn, Israel Nyankopɔn no se: ‘Muntie! Mede amanehunu biara a mahyɛ ama Yuda ne obiara a ɔte Yerusalem no bɛba wɔn so. Mekasa kyerɛɛ wɔn, nanso wɔantie, mefrɛɛ wɔn nanso wɔannye so.’ ”
18Afei Yeremia ka kyerɛɛ Rekab abusua no se, “Sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn no se: ‘Moayɛ osetie ama mo nena Yehonadab ahyɛde no, na moadi ne nkyerɛkyerɛ so, na moayɛ biribiara a ɔhyɛɛ mo no.’ 19Ɛno nti, nea Asafo Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn no se ni: ‘Rekab babarima Yehonadab benya ɔbarima a ɔbɛsom me bere biara.’ ”
