Jeremiah 35:1
The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,
Original Language Analysis
הַדָּבָ֛ר
The word
H1697
הַדָּבָ֛ר
The word
Strong's:
H1697
Word #:
1 of 14
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
אֲשֶׁר
H834
אֲשֶׁר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
2 of 14
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
הָיָ֥ה
H1961
הָיָ֥ה
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
3 of 14
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ
which came unto Jeremiah
H3414
יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ
which came unto Jeremiah
Strong's:
H3414
Word #:
5 of 14
jirmejah, the name of eight or nine israelites
מֵאֵ֣ת
H853
מֵאֵ֣ת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
6 of 14
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
יְהוָ֑ה
from the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֑ה
from the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
7 of 14
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
בִּימֵ֨י
in the days
H3117
בִּימֵ֨י
in the days
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
8 of 14
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
בֶּן
the son
H1121
בֶּן
the son
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
10 of 14
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
Cross References
Jeremiah 1:3It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.Jeremiah 25:1The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon;2 Kings 23:35And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give it unto Pharaoh-nechoh.
Historical Context
Jehoiakim (609-598 BCE) was installed by Egypt's Pharaoh Necho after deposing his brother Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:34). He paid heavy tribute to Egypt, taxing Judah oppressively to fund it. When Babylon defeated Egypt at Carchemish (605 BCE), Jehoiakim became Babylon's reluctant vassal. His reign was characterized by injustice, idolatry, and rejection of prophetic warning. The Rechabite incident likely occurred during early Babylonian raids (around 602-600 BCE) when they fled the countryside for Jerusalem's protection.
Questions for Reflection
- Why might God arrange Scripture thematically rather than chronologically, and how should this affect interpretation?
- How does the faithfulness of godly minorities in corrupt societies function as implicit judgment on the majority?
- In what ways does emphasizing that 'the word came FROM the LORD' protect against distorting Scripture to match personal preferences?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim—this narrative is chronologically displaced; Jeremiah 35 occurred during Jehoiakim's reign (609-598 BCE), before the Zedekiah events of chapter 34 (588-586 BCE). Jeremiah's editor arranged material thematically rather than chronologically, juxtaposing Rechabite faithfulness (ch. 35) against Judah's covenant breaking (ch. 34) for maximum contrast. This literary structure itself preaches: one family's multi-generational obedience to a human ancestor's command condemns a nation's disobedience to God's repeated commands.
The prophet's name appears again: Yirmeyahu ("Yahweh exalts/establishes"), highlighting that human messengers receive divine authority when conveying God's word. Jeremiah didn't speak his opinions—the word... came unto Jeremiah from the LORD. The passive construction emphasizes divine initiative; prophets receive revelation, not generate it. This guards biblical authority—Scripture's origin is God's speech, not human insight (2 Peter 1:20-21).
Jehoiakim's reign provides crucial context for understanding chapter 35's message. He was an evil king who burned Jeremiah's scroll (36:23), murdered the prophet Urijah (26:20-23), and oppressed his own people (22:13-17). In this morally corrupt environment, the Rechabites' counter-cultural obedience shone brightly, condemning the nation by comparison. God uses the faithful to judge the faithless—their very existence becomes prophetic witness.