But they said, "We won't drink wine, because our ancestor, Rechab's son Jonadab commanded us: "You and your descendants are never to drink wine! You aren't to build houses, you aren't to sow seeds, and you aren't to plant vineyards, or own them. Instead, you are to live in tents all your lives, so you will enjoy a long life in the land where you reside.' We have obeyed everything that our ancestor, Rechab's son Jonadab, commanded us. So we, our wives, our sons, and our daughters have drunk no wine all our lives, read more.
and have built no houses to live in. We don't have vineyards, fields, or seed. We have lived in tents. We have obeyed and have done everything that our ancestor Jonadab commanded us. Now when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, "Come on! Let's go to Jerusalem because of the army of the Chaldeans and the army of Aram. And now we're living in Jerusalem.'" This message from the LORD came to Jeremiah: "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel says: "Go and say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, "Will you not accept correction by listening to what I say?" declares the LORD. "But what Rechab's son Jonadab commanded his sons about not drinking wine is observed, and they haven't drunk wine until this day. Indeed, they obey the commands of their ancestor. But I've spoken to you again and again, and you haven't obeyed me.