The Daily Audio Bible

Obedience of Rechabites

35 The word that came to Jeremiah from Adonai in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying: ² “Go to the house of the Rechabites, speak to them, and bring them into one of the chambers of the House of Adonai, and give them wine to drink.”

³ So I took Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, his brothers and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites, ⁴ and I brought them into the House of Adonai to the chamber of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah the man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah son of Shallum, the doorkeeper. ⁵ I set jars full of wine and cups before the sons of the house of the Rechabites, and said to them: “Drink wine!”

⁶ But they said: “We drink no wine, for Jonadab son of Rechab our father commanded us: ‘You will drink no wine, not you nor your sons, forever. ⁷ Also you are not to build a house, or sow seed, or plant a vineyard or own one. Instead all your days you are to dwell in tents, so that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.’ ⁸ So we obeyed the voice of Jonadab son of Rechab our father in all that he charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters, ⁹ nor to build houses for us to dwell in, nor to own a vineyard, field or seed, ¹⁰ and we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. ¹¹ But when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up against the land, we said: ‘Come, let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans and for fear of the army of the Arameans. So we are dwelling in Jerusalem.”

¹² Then came the word of Adonai to Jeremiah, saying, ¹³ thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel: “Go, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, ‘Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?’” says Adonai. ¹⁴ “The words of Jonadab son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons, not to drink wine, are observed, and to this day they drink none, for they listen to their father’s commandment. Yet I have spoken to you, early and often, and you have not obeyed Me.

¹⁵ “I have sent also to you all My servants the prophets, sending them early and often, saying: ‘Return you now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers; but you have not inclined your ear, nor listened to Me. ¹⁶ For the sons of Jonadab son of Rechab have kept the commandment of their father which he commanded them, but this people have not obeyed Me.’”

¹⁷ Therefore thus says Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel: “I am about to bring on Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them, because I spoke to them but they have not heard, and I have called to them but they have not answered.”

¹⁸ Now Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel: “Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according to all that he commanded you,” ¹⁹ therefore thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel: “There will never be cut off for Jonadab son of Rechab a man to stand before Me forever.”

Baruch Reads Jeremiah’s Scroll

36 Now it happened in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of King Josiah of Judah, that this word came to Jeremiah from Adonai, saying: ² “Take a megillah scroll, and write in it all the words that I have spoken to you about Israel, about Judah, and about all the nations from the day I spoke to you—from the days of Josiah until this day. ³ Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity that I am planning to do to them, in order that they may turn, each one from his evil way. Then I would forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

⁴ So Jeremiah called Baruch son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote from Jeremiah’s mouth, all the words that Adonai had spoken to him, into a megillah scroll. ⁵ Then Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying: “I am detained; I cannot go into the House of Adonai. ⁶ So you go and read in the megillah—which you have written from my mouth, the words of Adonai—in the ears of the people, in the House of Adonai, on a fast day. You should also read them in the ears of all Judah coming from their towns. ⁷ Perhaps they will present their supplication before Adonai, and each one will turn from his wicked way. For great is the anger and fury that Adonai has pronounced against this people.”

⁸ So Baruch son of Neriah did according to all that the prophet Jeremiah commanded him, reading from the book the words of Adonai in the House of Adonai.

⁹ Now it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of King Josiah of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before Adonai—all the people in Jerusalem and all the people that came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem. ¹⁰ Then Baruch read from the scroll the words of Jeremiah in the House of Adonai, in the chamber of Gemariah son of the scribe Shaphan, in the upper court at the entry of the New Gate of the House of Adonai, in the ears of all the people.

¹¹ Now when Micaiah son of Gemariah son of Shaphan, had heard from the scroll all the words of Adonai, ¹² he went down to the scribe’s chamber of the king’s palace. All the officials sat there—the scribe Elishama, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Achbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the officials. ¹³ Then Micaiah reported to them all the words that he had heard Baruch reading out of the scroll in the ears of the people.

¹⁴ All the officials sent Jehudi son of Nethaniah son of Shelemiah son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying: “Bring in your hand the megillah which you read in the ears of the people and come.”

So Baruch son of Neriah brought the megillah in his hand and went to them. ¹⁵ Then they said to him: “Sit down now, and read it in our ears.” So Baruch read it in their ears.

¹⁶ After they had heard all the words, they turned to each other in fear, then said to Baruch: “We will surely report all these words to the king.” ¹⁷ They also asked Baruch, saying: “Tell us now, how did you write all these words? At his dictation?”

¹⁸ Then Baruch answered them: “He pronounced all these words to me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink into the scroll.”

¹⁹ Then the officials said to Baruch: “Go, hide yourself—you and Jeremiah—and let no one know where you are.”

²⁰ Then they went to the king in the courtyard, after they had deposited the megillah in the chamber of the scribe Elishama. They reported all the words in the ears of the king.

²¹ So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the megillah, and he brought it out of the chamber of the scribe Elishama. Jehudi read it in the ears of the king and all the officials who were standing by the king.

²² Since it was the ninth month, the king was residing in the winter house, with a fireplace burning before him. ²³ Now as soon as Jehudi had read three or four columns, he cut it with the scribe’s knife and tossed it into the fire that was in the fireplace, until the whole megillah was consumed in the fire in the fireplace. ²⁴ Yet neither the king, nor any of his servants who heard all these words were afraid, nor tore their clothes. ²⁵ Moreover Elnatan, Delaiah and Gemariah entreated the king not to burn the megillah, but he would not listen to them.

²⁶ Then the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, along with Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel, to seize the scribe Baruch and the prophet Jeremiah—but Adonai hid them.

²⁷ Then the word of Adonai came to Jeremiah, after the king had burned the megillah with the words that Baruch had written at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying: ²⁸ “Take yet another megillah, and write in it all the original words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah burned up. ²⁹ About King Jehoiakim of Judah you will say, thus says Adonai: ‘You have burned this megillah, saying, “Why have you written in it, saying the king of Babylon will surely come and destroy this land and will bring an end to both man and beast from it?” ’”

³⁰ Therefore thus says Adonai about King Jehoiakim of Judah: “He will have no one to sit on the throne of David. Moreover, his dead body will be tossed out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. ³¹ I will also punish him and his offspring and his servants for their iniquity, and I will bring on them, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the people of Judah all the calamity that I have pronounced against them—but they did not listen.”

³² Then Jeremiah took another megillah and gave it to the scribe Baruch son of Neriah, who wrote in it from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the scroll which King Jehoiakim of Judah had burned up in the fire—and added to them many similar words.

Giving Honor in the Community

5 Never speak harshly to an older man^[a] but appeal to him as a father; to younger men as brothers; ² older women as mothers; and younger women as sisters—with complete purity.

³ Honor widows who are really widows— ⁴ but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show devotion to their own home and give back to their parents, for this is pleasing before God. ⁵ Now she who is really a widow and has been left alone, has put her hope in God and continues in petitions and prayers night and day. ⁶ But she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. ⁷ Insist on these things, so that they might be beyond criticism. ⁸ But if anyone does not provide for his own, especially those in his own house, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹ Let a widow be listed only if she is at least sixty, was the wife of one husband, ¹⁰ well known for good deeds, if she raised children, if she showed hospitality, if she washed the feet of the kedoshim, if she helped those in trouble, and if she devoted herself to every good work.

¹¹ But refuse younger widows; for when their sensual desires draw them away from the Messiah, they want to get married— ¹² facing judgment because they have set aside their previous pledge. ¹³ And at the same time, they also learn to be idle, going around from house to house—and not just idle, but also gossipers and busybodies, saying things they should not. ¹⁴ Therefore, I want the younger widows to get married, have children, manage a household, and give no opportunity to the enemy for slander. ¹⁵ For some have already gone astray after satan. ¹⁶ If any woman of faith has widows in need, let her help them and not let the community be burdened, so it may help the real widows.

¹⁷ The elders who lead well are worthy of honor and honorarium^[b]—especially those who work hard in the word and teaching. ¹⁸ For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,”^[c] and, “The worker is worthy of his wage.” ^{[d] 19} Do not accept an accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. ^{[e] 20} Correct those who continue sinning in the presence of everyone, so that the rest also may fear.^[f]

²¹ I solemnly charge you—before God and Messiah Yeshua and the chosen angels—to observe these things without taking sides, doing nothing out of favoritism. ²² Do not lay hands on anyone hastily or take part in the sins of others—keep yourself pure. ²³ (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach and for your frequent ailments.)

²⁴ The sins of some people are obvious, going before them into judgment; but for others, their sins follow. ²⁵ Likewise, good deeds are obvious, and the others cannot stay hidden.