What about Those Rechabites? (35:1-19) 577
quired to do Nebuchadrezzar's bidding. We know that a combined force of
Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites ravaged Judah in 599-598 B.C.
(2 Kgs 24:2), but whether this pillaging represents the threat here remains un-
clear (see Note on v 1). The LXX omits "king of Babylon,'' which it sometimes
does (see Appendix VI). It also has Assyrian ("Assyrians") instead of Syrias
("Syrians), which is not quite right (pace Rudolph; LXX translations in 2: 18
and 2 Kgs 24:2 are both correct). Aquila and Symm (both Syrias), as well as T
and Vg have "Syrians." The S has "Edom," which appears to misread a dalet for
a resh edm for 'rm).
So we are dwelling in Jerusalem. The LXX has "and we dwelt there" (kai
okoumen ekei). Aquila, Symm, Theod, T, and Vg all support MT
- And the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah. The T again has "word of
prophecy." The testing of the Rechabites has concluded and Jeremiah is now
said to have received a further word from Yahweh. The LXX has "to me" in-
stead of "to Jeremiah," a change it makes also in 32:26 and 36: 1. G. R. Driver
( 1960: 121) explains "to me" ('7N) as a misread abbreviation (' 7N = 1jJ'7:Y1r7N).
Bright thinks the LXX is conforming to the autobiographical style of prior
verses. "To Jeremiah" should be read (pace Giesebrecht; Duhm; Cornill; Hol-
laday); the introduction parallels the one in v 1.
- Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel. The LXX omits; it also omits "of hosts" in
vv 17, 18, and 19 (see Appendix VI).
Go, and you shall say to the men ofludah and to the inhabitants oflerusalem.
Jeremiah is now sent to address a larger audience, which may have gathered in
the outer court of the Temple (Cheyne). On the stereotyped phrase "men of
Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem," see Note for 4:3.
Will you not take correction to listen to my words? This is not so much an-
other call to reform as an expression of frustration over the people's inability to
reform (vv 14b-15). A recurring theme in Jeremiah's preaching is that people
have refused to take "correction," milsar (see Note for 2:30). But a cruel form of
correction came finally in the end (30:14).
oracle ofYahweh. Omitted in the LXX, perhaps because of the messenger for-
mula (which it reduces) at the beginning the verse.
- The words of Jonadab son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons so as
not to drink wine have been carried out, and they have not drunk to this day be-
cause they have heeded the command of their father. Here we see that abstinence
from wine is not the issue; what Yahweh deems important is that the Rech-
abites have heeded the command of Jonadab, their father.
The words oflonadab ... have been carried out. A plural object (with >et) fol-
lowing a passive verb becomes the subject (GKC §12lb; cf. Gen 4:18). The
Hophal verb is singular (LXX translates with a plural). Compare a similar con-
struction (without >et) in 36:32b.
to this day because they have heeded the command of their father. The LXX
omits, but CL, Aq, Theod, S, T, and Vg all have the words.
But I, I have spoken to you - constantly I have spoken - and you have not lis-
tened to me. See 7: 13 and 25:3. For the idiom of a repeated verb with skm, which
