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.
But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded our land, we said to each other, 'Come on, let's go to Jerusalem because we're afraid of the Babylonian army and the Syrian army.' So that's why we're now living in Jerusalem.
The Rechabites are explaining that they only came to live in Jerusalem temporarily because they were fleeing from invading armies, not because they abandoned their nomadic lifestyle permanently.
📚 Historical Context
This is part of the Rechabites' explanation to Jeremiah around 605-586 BC during Babylon's invasion of Judah. The Rechabites were a nomadic clan who had sworn centuries earlier to never live in houses, drink wine, or plant crops, but the military crisis forced them to seek refuge in Jerusalem's walls. The Syrian army mentioned likely refers to Aramean forces who were also active in the region during this turbulent period.
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