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:
But they said, 'We will not drink any wine, because Jonadab, the son of Rechab, our ancestor, commanded us: You and your descendants must never drink wine.'
The Rechabites are explaining that they refuse to drink wine because their ancestor commanded them and their families to never drink it.
📚 Historical Context
The Rechabites were a nomadic clan descended from Jonadab (also called Jehonadab), who lived during the time of King Jehu around 840 BC. Jonadab had established strict rules for his descendants to follow, including abstaining from wine, not building houses, and not farming - essentially maintaining a nomadic lifestyle. This conversation took place during Jeremiah's ministry, roughly 250 years after Jonadab's original command.
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