Jehonadab

15Jehu left that place. He met Jehonadab son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, "Is your heart with me, as my heart is with you?" Jehonadab said, "It is." Jehu said, "Then give me your hand." He gave Jehu his hand, and Jehu pulled him up into the chariot.

And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

NoteGiving someone your hand was a way to make a promise. It was like shaking hands today.

16Jehu said, "Come with me. See how hard I work for the LORD." So Jehonadab rode along in his chariot.

And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.

17When Jehu came to Samaria, he killed everyone from Ahab's family still living there. He wiped them all out. This was just what the LORD had told Elijah would happen.

And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.

18Jehu called all the people together. He said, "Ahab served Baal a little. But Jehu will serve him a lot."

And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.

NoteBaal was a god that many people in that land worshiped. God's people were told to worship only the LORD.

19"Now call all of Baal's prophets, all his servants, and all his priests. No one may stay away. I am making a great sacrifice to Baal. Anyone who stays away will be put to death." But Jehu was lying on purpose. He planned to destroy the people who worshiped Baal.

Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.

NoteThese prophets said they carried messages from Baal. A sacrifice was an animal killed and given as a gift to a god.

20Jehu said, "Announce a special gathering to honor Baal." So they announced it.

And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.

NoteA special gathering was a big meeting for worship. Everyone was expected to come.

21Jehu sent word all through Israel. Every worshiper of Baal came. Not one stayed home. They went into the temple of Baal. It was full from one end to the other.

And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.

NoteA temple was a building where people came to worship a god.

22Jehu spoke to the man who took care of the robes. He said, "Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal." So the man brought out robes for them.

And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.

NoteThese robes were special clothes people put on to worship. One worker kept them all in a storage room.

23Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the worshipers, "Look around. Make sure no servants of the LORD are here. Only worshipers of Baal should be inside."

And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.

24The worshipers went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Jehu had already placed eighty men outside. He told them, "I am handing these men over to you. If even one gets away, you will pay with your own life."

And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him.

NoteA burnt offering was an animal burned up as a gift to a god. It was burned on an altar, a stone table used for gifts.

25As soon as the burnt offering was finished, Jehu spoke to the guards and the officers. He said, "Go in and kill them. Do not let anyone out." So they killed them with swords. They threw the bodies outside. Then they went into the inner room of Baal's temple.

And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.

NoteThe inner room was the deepest part of the temple. Only certain people were allowed inside it.

26They carried the sacred stone pillar out of Baal's temple and burned it.

And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.

NoteThis was a tall stone that stood up straight. People set it up to honor Baal.

27They smashed the pillar of Baal. They tore down the temple of Baal. They turned the place into a toilet, and it is still one today.

And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.

NoteTurning a temple into a toilet was the rudest thing they could do. It showed the place meant nothing anymore.

28So Jehu got rid of Baal worship in Israel.

Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

1This message came to Jeremiah from the LORD. It came when Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah.

The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,

NoteJeremiah was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. Judah was the small country where God's people lived, ruled by a king. When LORD is printed in big letters, it stands for God's own name.

2God said, "Go to the Rechabite family and speak to them. Bring them into one of the rooms in the house of the LORD. Then offer them wine to drink."

Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.

NoteThe house of the LORD was the temple in Jerusalem. It was the big building where people came to worship God. The Rechabites were one large family, all related to each other. Wine is a strong drink made from grapes that grown-ups drink.

3So I took Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, whose grandfather was Habazziniah. I also took his brothers and all his sons. That was the whole Rechabite family.

Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habaziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites;

4I brought them into the house of the LORD. We went into the room used by the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, a man of God. That room was near the room of the leaders. It was above the room of Maaseiah son of Shallum, who guarded the door.

And I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door:

NoteThe temple had many small rooms built along its sides. Leaders, helpers and teachers used them for meetings and work. A "man of God" meant a person who spoke for God.

5I set pitchers full of wine and some cups in front of the Rechabite men. I said to them, "Have some wine."

And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine.

NoteA pitcher is a big jug used for pouring drinks. Jeremiah set the wine out where everyone could see it.

6But they said, "We do not drink wine. Our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab gave us a rule. He said we must never drink wine, and neither must our children."

But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:

NoteA forefather is a family member who lived long, long ago. Jonadab lived about two hundred years before this day. His family still kept the rule he gave them.

7"He also said: never build a house. Do not plant seeds or grape vines, and do not own any. Live in tents all your lives. Then you will live many years in this land, where you move from place to place."

Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers.

NoteA vineyard is a field where grapes grow on vines. Building houses and planting seeds means staying in one place. This family lived in tents and moved around instead, like shepherds. They lived in the land without owning any of it.

8"We have obeyed our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab in everything he told us. We have never drunk wine. Not us, not our wives, not our sons or daughters."

Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;

9"We have not built houses to live in. We own no grape fields, no farm fields, and no seed."

Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:

10"We have lived in tents instead. We have obeyed and done just what our forefather Jonadab told us."

But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.

11"But then Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, marched into our land. We said, 'Come, let us go into Jerusalem.' We were afraid of the army of Babylon and the army of Aram. So now we are living in Jerusalem."

But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem.

NoteBabylon was a huge, strong country far to the east. Its king, Nebuchadnezzar, marched his army into Judah. Aram was another country, up to the north. Jerusalem had thick walls, so people ran inside them when armies came.

12Then a message from the LORD came to Jeremiah. He said:

Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,

13"The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says this. Go and tell the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem, 'Will you not learn, and listen to my words?' says the LORD."

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD.

Note"The LORD of Hosts" means the LORD who leads the armies of heaven. It is a name that shows how strong he is.

14"Jonadab son of Rechab told his sons not to drink wine, and they obeyed. To this day they drink none, because they obey their forefather. But I have spoken to you again and again, and you did not listen to me."

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.

NoteThe King James says God kept "rising early and speaking" to them. That was a way of saying he spoke again and again, starting early.

15"I also sent you all my servants the prophets, again and again. They said, 'Each of you, stop doing wrong. Change the way you act. Do not follow other gods and serve them. Then you may live in the land I gave you and your fathers.' But you would not listen to me at all."

I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.

NoteA prophet was a person who carried God's messages to people. "Other gods" were statues that other nations prayed to. "Your fathers" means the grandparents and great grandparents from long ago.

16"Jonadab's family did what their forefather told them to do. But these people have not listened to me."

Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me:

17"So the LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says this. I will bring on Judah and on everyone in Jerusalem all the trouble I warned about. I spoke to them, and they did not listen. I called to them, and they did not answer."

Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.

18Then Jeremiah said to the Rechabite family, "The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says this. You obeyed what your forefather Jonadab told you. You kept all his rules and did everything he asked."

And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you:

NoteThe King James says they kept his "precepts." A precept is simply a rule someone is told to follow.

19"So the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says this. Jonadab son of Rechab will always have someone from his family to serve me."

Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.

NoteTo "stand before" someone meant to serve them, like a helper waiting close by. God promised that Jonadab's family would never die out.