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.’ ”
El ejemplo de los recabitas
1La palabra del Señor vino a mí, Jeremías, en los días de Joacim, hijo de Josías y rey de Judá: 2«Ve a la casa de los recabitas, invítalos para que vengan a una de las salas del Templo del Señor y ofréceles vino».
3Entonces fui a buscar a Jazanías, hijo de Jeremías y nieto de Jabasinías, a sus hermanos, a todos sus hijos y a toda la comunidad de los recabitas. 4Los llevé al Templo del Señor, a la sala de los hijos de Janán, hijo de Igdalías, hombre de Dios. Esta sala se encontraba junto a la de los oficiales que a su vez estaba encima de la de Maseías, hijo de Salún, guarda de la entrada. 5Serví a los recabitas jarras y copas llenas de vino y les dije: «¡Beban!».
6Ellos me respondieron: «Nosotros no bebemos vino, porque Jonadab, hijo de Recab y antepasado nuestro, nos ordenó lo siguiente: “Nunca beban vino, ni ustedes ni sus descendientes. 7Tampoco edifiquen casas, ni siembren semillas, ni planten viñedos, ni posean ninguna de estas cosas. Habiten siempre en tiendas de campaña, para que vivan mucho tiempo en esta tierra donde son extranjeros”. 8Nosotros obedecemos todo lo que nos ordenó Jonadab, hijo de Recab. Nunca bebemos vino; tampoco lo hacen nuestras mujeres ni nuestros hijos. 9No edificamos casas para habitarlas; no poseemos viñedos ni campos sembrados. 10Vivimos en tiendas de campaña y obedecemos todo lo que nos ordenó Jonadab, nuestro antepasado. 11Pero cuando Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia, invadió esta tierra, dijimos: “Vámonos a Jerusalén, para escapar del ejército babilonio35:11 Lit. caldeo. y del ejército arameo”. Por eso ahora vivimos en Jerusalén».
12Entonces la palabra del Señor vino a Jeremías: 13«Así dice el Señor de los Ejércitos, el Dios de Israel: “Ve y dile a toda la gente de Judá y Jerusalén: ¿No pueden aprender esta lección y obedecer mis palabras?”, afirma el Señor. 14“Los descendientes de Jonadab, hijo de Recab, han cumplido con la orden de no beber vino y hasta el día de hoy no lo beben, porque obedecen lo que su antepasado ordenó. En cambio ustedes, aunque yo les he hablado en repetidas ocasiones, no me han hecho caso. 15Además, no he dejado de enviarles a mis siervos, los profetas, para decirles: ‘Conviértanse ya de su mal camino, enmienden sus acciones y no sigan a otros dioses para servirlos; entonces habitarán en la tierra que he dado a ustedes y a sus antepasados’. Pero ustedes no me han prestado atención; no me han hecho caso. 16Los descendientes de Jonadab, hijo de Recab, cumplieron la orden dada por su antepasado; en cambio, este pueblo no me obedece”.
17»Por eso, así dice el Señor Dios de los Ejércitos, el Dios de Israel: “Voy a enviar contra Judá y contra todos los habitantes de Jerusalén todas las calamidades que ya he anunciado, porque les hablé y no me obedecieron; los llamé y no me respondieron”».
18Jeremías también dijo a los recabitas: «Así dice el Señor de los Ejércitos, el Dios de Israel: “Por cuanto ustedes han obedecido las órdenes de Jonadab, su antepasado, y han cumplido con todos sus mandatos y han hecho todo lo que él les ordenó, 19así dice el Señor de los Ejércitos, el Dios de Israel: ‘Nunca faltará a Jonadab, hijo de Recab, un descendiente que esté a mi servicio todos los días’ ”».
