Jonadab, the Son of Rechab

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Obedience and Divine Favor

TANAKH

The obedience of Jonadab's descendants to their ancestor's commands starkly contrasts with the disobedience of the people of Judah to God's commands, leading to divine judgment on Judah and a promise of perpetual favor to Jonadab's lineage. The book of Jeremiah, a prophetic text from the period leading up to the First Temple’s destruction, highlights this contrast and its consequences.

The commands of Jonadab son of Rechab have been fulfilled: he charged his children not to drink wine, and to this day they have not drunk, in obedience to the charge of their ancestor. But I spoke to you persistently, and you did not listen to Me. I persistently sent you all My servants, the prophets, to say: ‘Turn back, every one of you, from your wicked ways and mend your deeds; do not follow other gods or serve them. Then you may remain on the land that I gave to you and your ancestors.’ But you did not give ear or listen to Me. …

Jeremiah 35:14-19

The Unconditional Covenant

MIDRASH

The covenant with Yonadav the son of Rechav was unconditional, unlike the conditional covenant made with David. The Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael compares these covenants.

R. Nathan says: Great is the covenant that was made with Yonadav the son of Rechav than that made with David. For that made with David was conditional, viz. (Psalms 132:12) "If your sons keep My covenant, etc.", and if not, (Ibid. 89:33) "then I will punish their offense with the rod," but the covenant with Yonadav the son of Rechav was unconditional, viz. (Jeremiah 35:19) "There will not be cut off a man of (the descendants of) Yonadav the son of Rechav standing before Me all of the days."...

Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Tractate Amalek 4:30

A Test of Loyalty in the Temple

COMMENTARY

The public and symbolic nature of Jeremiah offering wine to the Rekhavites in the Temple is designed to arouse wonder and be widely publicized among the people. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, in his commentary on the Hebrew Bible, explains this event in the Book of Jeremiah, which tests the Rekhavites' adherence to their ancestor's command to abstain from wine.

Go to the house of the Rekhavites, the descendants of the righteous Yonadav son of Rekhav, and speak to them, and you shall bring them to the House of the Lord, to one of the chambers adjacent to the Temple. Perhaps it was easy for Jeremiah, a priest, to gain access to one of these chambers. And there you shall give them wine to drink. The scene of a prophet offering wine to the Rekhavites in the Temple would certainly arouse wonder among the people, and this event would be publicized.

Steinsaltz on Jeremiah 35:2

The Faithful Potters

TALMUD

The sons of Jonadab, son of Rechab, are notable for their steadfast adherence to their father's commandments. A baraita in the Talmud interprets a verse from I Chronicles, identifying a group of potters as the sons of Jonadab, son of Rechab, who upheld their father's oath.

The Gemara cites a baraita that analyzes the next verse: “These were the potters, and those who dwelt among plantations and hedges; there they dwelt occupied in the king’s work” (I Chronicles 4:23). “These were the potters [yotzerim],” these are the sons of Jonadab, son of Rechab, who kept [natzeru] their father’s oath.

Bava Batra 91b:11

The Nomadic Legacy of Jonadab

COMMENTARY

Jonadab's unique lifestyle instructions to his descendants offer a fascinating glimpse into a life of asceticism and devotion. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's modern translation and commentary on the Hebrew Bible explains the significance of Jonadab's instructions to his descendants, the Rechabites.

Moreover, a house you shall not build, and seed you shall not sow, and a vineyard you shall not plant, and you will have none of any kind of houses or vineyards; rather, in tents you shall live all your days, so that you will live many days on the land where you reside. Yonadav instructed his descendants not to establish any permanent residence. Consequently, they did not build permanent homes and they did not engage in agriculture. Apparently, they lived in the field as nomadic shepherds, or possibly were engaged in other professions like carpentry or metalworking…

Steinsaltz on Jeremiah 35:7

Jehu's Divine Mission

SECOND TEMPLE

Jehu's alliance with Jonadab was pivotal in his mission to eradicate idolatry and false prophets, earning him divine favor. Josephus' historical work, The Antiquities of the Jews, provides a detailed account of this strategic alliance and its significance.

6. After these, there met him a good and a righteous man, whose name was Jehonadab, and who had been his friend of old. He saluted Jehu, and began to commend him, because he had done every thing according to the will of God, in extirpating the house of Ahab. So Jehu desired him to come up into his chariot, and make his entry with him into Samaria; and told him that he would not spare one wicked man, but would punish the false prophets, and false priests, and those that deceived the multitude, and persuaded them to leave the worship of God Almighty, and to worship foreign gods…

The Antiquities of the Jews 9:6:6

Jonadab's Commitment to Jehu

TANAKH

Jonadab's unwavering support for Jehu and his active participation in Jehu's mission highlight the importance of moral integrity and commitment in leadership. In the biblical book of Kings, Jonadab, the son of Rechab, joins Jehu in his chariot, symbolizing his wholehearted support for Jehu's mission to eliminate Baal worship.

He went on from there, and he met Jehonadab son of Rechab coming toward him. He greeted him and said to him, “Are you as wholehearted with me as I am with you?” “I am,” Jehonadab replied. “If so,” [said Jehu,] “give me your hand.” He gave him his hand and [Jehu] helped him into the chariot.

II Kings 10:15

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