1. This is the message the lord gave Jeremiah when Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah:
2. “Go to the settlement where the families of the Recabites live, and invite them to the lord’s Temple. Take them into one of the inner rooms, and offer them some wine.”
3. So I went to see Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah and grandson of Habazziniah and all his brothers and sons—representing all the Recabite families.
4. I took them to the Temple, and we went into the room assigned to the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, a man of God. This room was located next to the one used by the Temple officials, directly above the room of Maaseiah son of Shallum, the Temple gatekeeper.
5. I set cups and jugs of wine before them and invited them to have a drink,
6. but they refused. “No,” they said, “we don’t drink wine, because our ancestor Jehonadab son of Recab gave us this command: ‘You and your descendants must never drink wine.
7. And do not build houses or plant crops or vineyards, but always live in tents. If you follow these commands, you will live long, good lives in the land.’