Jeremiah 35:13

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.

Thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068} of hosts {H6635}, the God {H430} of Israel {H3478}; Go {H1980} and tell {H559} the men {H376} of Judah {H3063} and the inhabitants {H3427} of Jerusalem {H3389}, Will ye not receive {H3947} instruction {H4148} to hearken {H8085} to my words {H1697}? saith {H5002} the LORD {H3068}.

"ADONAI-Tzva'ot the God of Isra'el says to go to the men of Y'hudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim and say: 'Won't you ever learn to listen to my words?' says ADONAI.

“This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem: ‘Will you not accept discipline and obey My words?’ declares the LORD.

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Go, and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith Jehovah.

Jeremiah 35:13 presents a powerful divine indictment against the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, contrasting their persistent disobedience with the unwavering loyalty of the nomadic Rechabites.

Context of Jeremiah 35:13

This verse is part of a vivid object lesson orchestrated by God through the prophet Jeremiah. In Jeremiah chapter 35, the Lord instructs Jeremiah to bring the Rechabite family into the temple and offer them wine. The Rechabites, a clan known for their strict adherence to the ancient command of their ancestor Jonadab son of Rechab (who lived centuries earlier), refused to drink wine, live in houses, or plant vineyards. Their steadfast obedience to a human ancestor’s command, even after generations, serves as a stark rebuke to Judah. God, through Jeremiah, then asks Judah and Jerusalem the rhetorical question found in verse 13: if the Rechabites can so faithfully obey a human command, why can God's own chosen people not obey the divine commands of the Almighty?

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Call to Obedience: The central theme is God's enduring call for His people to hearken to His words and receive His instruction. It highlights the stark contrast between the Rechabites' unwavering loyalty and Judah's consistent rebellion.
  • Divine Patience and Warning: Despite Judah's long history of idolatry and disobedience, God continues to send His prophets, offering opportunities for repentance and a return to His ways. This verse is a lament and a final warning before impending judgment.
  • God's Authority: The title "LORD of hosts, the God of Israel" emphasizes God's supreme authority, power, and His covenant relationship with Israel. It underscores the weight and seriousness of His instruction.

Linguistic Insights

  • "LORD of hosts" (Hebrew: YHWH Sabaoth): This powerful divine title signifies God's sovereignty over all creation, including heavenly armies. It conveys His immense power and authority, making His words undeniably authoritative.
  • "receive instruction" (Hebrew: laqach musar): The word musar implies discipline, moral instruction, or correction. It's not merely about intellectual understanding but about internalizing and acting upon the divine teaching, often through painful experience or divine chastisement.
  • "hearken to my words": This phrase denotes attentive listening that leads to obedience. It's not just hearing, but actively responding and submitting to God's commands, something Judah consistently failed to do, as seen in Jeremiah 7:24.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 35:13 serves as a timeless challenge for believers today. It prompts us to examine our own lives: are we more diligent in obeying human traditions, cultural norms, or even our own preferences than we are in listening to and obeying God's clear commands in His Word? The verse reminds us of the importance of valuing divine instruction, not just as information, but as transformative truth meant to be lived out. God's patience is great, but His call for genuine obedience remains constant, urging us to humble ourselves and truly hearken to His voice.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 32:33

    And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching [them], yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.

  • Jeremiah 5:3

    O LORD, [are] not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, [but] they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

  • Jeremiah 6:8

    Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.

  • Jeremiah 6:10

    To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear [is] uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

  • Isaiah 28:9

    ¶ Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts.

  • Isaiah 28:12

    To whom he said, This [is] the rest [wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [is] the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

  • Hebrews 12:25

    See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven:

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