Jeremiah 35:13
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Jeremiah 35:13
13 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.
Chapter Context
Jeremiah 35 is a prophetic oracle chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of worship, holiness, righteousness. Written during the final years of Judah and early exile (c. 627-580 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Prophesied during Judah's final years as Babylon became the dominant power.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-19: Central message and teachings
This chapter is significant because it addresses timeless questions about faith, suffering, and divine purpose. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Jeremiah and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Jeremiah 35:13
13 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.
Analysis
Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? (הֲלוֹא תִקְחוּ מוּסָר לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל־דְּבָרָי halo tiqchu musar lishmo'a el-d'varai)—The rhetorical question drips with divine exasperation. Musar (instruction/discipline) appears throughout Proverbs as wisdom's corrective teaching. Hearken (שָׁמַע shama') again emphasizes obedient hearing, not mere auditory reception.
Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—The prophetic commission targets both political leadership ('men of Judah') and general population ('inhabitants of Jerusalem'). God commands Jeremiah to use the Rechabites as a sermon illustration, turning their living obedience into a mirror reflecting Judah's spiritual bankruptcy. The question isn't whether Judah CAN learn from the Rechabites, but whether they WILL—the tragedy being that God knows the answer (v. 17).
Historical Context
Jeremiah's ministry (627-586 BC) spanned the reigns of Judah's last five kings, a period of terminal apostasy. Despite forty years of preaching, multiple prophetic signs, and now the Rechabite object lesson, Judah refused instruction. This verse captures the pathos of God's persistent appeals to a people determined to self-destruct.
Reflection
- What 'instruction' (musar) is God offering you through current circumstances or biblical truth that you're refusing to receive?
- How does the Rechabites' example function as a mirror exposing areas where your obedience falls short of even non-Israelites' faithfulness?
- Why do religious people (like Judah) often resist instruction more stubbornly than irreligious people, having more knowledge but less obedience?
Word Studies
- God: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) H430 - God (plural of majesty)
Cross-References
- References Lord: Jeremiah 5:3
- Parallel theme: Jeremiah 32:33