Rechab רֵכָב
Ancestor of the Rechabites, who were faithful to God
Who is Rechab in the Bible?
Rechab was the ancestor of the Rechabites, a nomadic tribe in Israel known for their strict faithfulness to God's commands. His son Jehonadab supported King Jehu in purging Baal worship from Israel around the 9th century BC (2 Kings 10:15-23). The Rechabites, descendants of the Kenites, followed stringent rules established by their forefather, including abstaining from wine, not building permanent houses, and not planting vineyards (Jeremiah 35:6-7). When the prophet Jeremiah tested their obedience by offering them wine, they refused, demonstrating their remarkable commitment to their ancestral vows, and God commended them for this faithfulness (Jeremiah 35:1-19). Rechab's legacy exemplifies a people whose unwavering obedience to their covenant principles made them a model of faithfulness in Scripture.
Biography
Rechab was the father of Jehonadab (2Ki.10.15) and the ancestor of the Rechabites, a nomadic tribe known for their strict adherence to God's commands (Jeremiah 35). The Rechabites were descendants of the Kenites, who were associated with the Israelites since the time of Moses (Jdg.1.16). Jehonadab, son of Rechab, supported Jehu in his purge of Baal worship in Israel (2Ki.10.15-23). The Rechabites were known for their obedience to the commands of their ancestor Jonadab, which included abstaining from wine, not building houses, not sowing seed, and not planting vineyards (Jer.35.6-7). When the prophet Jeremiah tested their obedience by offering them wine, they refused, demonstrating their commitment to their ancestral vows (Jer.35.1-11). God commended the Rechabites for their faithfulness and promised that they would always have a descendant to serve Him (Jer.35.18-19). The example of the Rechabites stands as a model of obedience and devotion to God in the midst of a society that had largely abandoned His ways.
Family
In Scripture
3 biblical books ; 1 with study content2 Kings 2 verses
- 2 Kings 10:15
"When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Is your heart as true to mine as my heart is to yours?” “It is!” Jehonadab replied. “If it is,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and Jehu helped..."
- 2 Kings 10:23
"Next, Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab entered the temple of Baal, and Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Look around to see that there are no servants of the LORD here among you—only servants of Baal.”"
1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 2:55
"and the clans of the scribes who lived at Jabez—the Tirathites, Shimeathites, and Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab."
Jeremiah 5 verses
- Jeremiah 35:6
"“We do not drink wine,” they replied, “for our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us, ‘Neither you nor your descendants are ever to drink wine."
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 35:8
"And we have obeyed the voice of our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab in all he commanded us. So we have not drunk wine all our lives—neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters."
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 35:14
"The words of Jonadab son of Rechab have been carried out. He commanded his sons not to drink wine, and they have not drunk it to this very day because they have obeyed the command of their forefather. But I have spoken to you again and again, and you have not obeyed Me!"
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 35:16
"Yes, the sons of Jonadab son of Rechab carried out the command their forefather gave them, but these people have not listened to Me."
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 35:19
"this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Jonadab son of Rechab will never fail to have a man to stand before Me.’”"
Study Jeremiah →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | רֵכָב |
| Group | Hebrew | רֵכָבִי |