The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.
Are performed – Are established, i. e., are maintained in full force.
Unto this day – i. e., for more than 200 years.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 14. The words of Jonadab – are performed – but ye hearkened not unto me.] The Lord, knowing the fidelity of this people, chose to try them in this way, that he might, by their conscientious obedience to the precepts of their forefathers, show the Jews, to their confusion, their ingratitude to him, and their neglect of his precepts, which if a man do, he shall live by them.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
14. obey . . . father’s commandment:notwithstanding I (Mal 1:6).
rising early and speakingGodHimself speaking late and early by His various ways of providenceand grace.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons, not to drink wine, are performed,…. That article particularly, respecting drinking wine, has been carefully observed; which, though so agreeable to the nature of man, what cheers the heart of God and man, and was not prohibited them by any law of God; yet, being forbidden by their father, they abstained from it:
for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment; though prescribed them three hundred years ago; during all which time they had punctually observed it, even to that very day; which might with great truth and strictness be said; since they had that very day refused to drink any:
notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early, and speaking; who am the eternal God; the King of kings; the great Lawgiver, able to save and to destroy; who had spoken to them, and given them laws as soon as they were a people, very early, in the times of Moses, on Mount Sinai and Horeb; and of which they had been reminded time after time, and enforced by proper arguments and motives; whereas the command of Jonadab was that of a mere man, not above three hundred years ago, and of which his posterity had never been put in mind, but as it was handed down from father to son; and this they constantly observed:
but ye hearkened not unto me; so that their disobedience was greatly aggravated.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
It is then added, confirmed have been the words of Jonadab by his children; but my people do not obey me. But as we have said in the last lecture, the Prophet touches particularly on this circumstance, — that the Rechabites obeyed the command of their father in not drinking wine: this was hard; they did not drink even to that day But what did God require from his children? only to receive his Law, and not to go astray, as it is here added, after alien gods. There is, then, a contrast between the hard precept of Jonadab and the equity of the Law; for God required nothing from his people except to render him pure worship, he says, They have drunk no wine to this day — and why? because they obeyed; that is, there was no scruple of conscience to prevent them, but the authority of a man who was dead so far prevailed witIt them, that they willingly gave up the use of wine. “As then simple obedience, that is, piety or respect for their father, produced such influence on the Rechabites, how is it that I am not heard? for I have spoken,” he says, “so that the sin of the people is not excusable on the ground of ignorance.”
Then he adds, Early rising and speaking Here assiduity and diligence are mentioned. Jonadab only once gave his command to his children; that command, which might have been forgotten, remained perpetually in the hearts of his sons, so that they taught the same to his grandsons. But God commanded what was right not only once, but rose up early, that is, he sedulously anticipated them; for by this metaphor he intimates that he did not wait until after a continued licentiousness they became more addicted to their vices; for we know that those who have for many years been without restraint, are not easily brought into order, but they become habitually refractory. And hence, also, it comes to be necessary to form those from infancy who are to be ruled by us; for if they be allowed to act as they please, their wantonness cannot afterwards be restrained by any laws. God then says, that he rose up early, that is, that he anticipated the Jews, so that together with their milk they might imbibe religion.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
THE APPLICATION OF THE RECHABITES’ EXAMPLE, Jer 35:12-19.
14. The words of Jonadab are performed; but ye hearkened not unto me Here is the plain application of this historical lesson. The Rechabites kept the commands of their father, and as a consequence have been rewarded. Ye violate the commands of your Father and will be punished. What could more thoroughly shame their unfaithfulness?
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 35:14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.
Ver. 14. The words of Jonadab, not to drink wine, are performed.] So are the words of Mohammed to like purpose, to this day, by the Turks; so are the commands of the Popish padres to their young novices, though it be to make a voyage to China or Peru,
“ Per varios casus, per tot discrimina rerum. ”
For unto this day they drink none.
Rising early and speaking.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
rising early and speaking. See note on Jer 7:13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
words: Jer 35:6-10
rising: Jer 7:13, Jer 7:25, Jer 11:7, Jer 25:3, Jer 25:4, Jer 26:5, Jer 29:19, Jer 32:33, 2Ch 36:15, 2Ch 36:16, Pro 1:20-33
but ye: Jer 7:24, Jer 7:26, Neh 9:26, Neh 9:30, Isa 30:9, Isa 50:2
Reciprocal: Gen 27:43 – obey 2Ki 10:15 – Jehonadab Jer 35:16 – General Luk 13:34 – and ye Eph 6:1 – obey
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 35:14. The obedience of the Rechabites to their father’s commands was contrasted with the disobedience of the men of Judah to the words of God. The contrast will stand out all the more when it is considered that it was the words of an earthly father in one case, and those of the God of Heaven in the other.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
35:14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for to this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment: however I have spoken to you, {k} rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not to me.
(k) I have most diligently exhorted and warned you both by myself and my prophet.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The Rechabites had faithfully obeyed their ancestor, but the people of Judah and Jerusalem had not obeyed the Lord’s instructions even though He had spoken to them repeatedly. Jeremiah was not expressing approval for the nomadic life and ascetic convictions of the Rechabites, but only their faithful obedience to their forefather.
"Nor is it [this story] per se a temperance lesson, despite its use for that purpose by some Sunday school quarterlies." [Note: Feinberg, "Jeremiah," p. 600.]