House; that is, the “clan” or “family.” New Jerusalem Bible has “Go to the clan of the Rechabites” and New American Bible “Approach the Rechabites.”

The Rechabites (mentioned elsewhere only in 2Kgs 10.15-31; 1Chr 2.55) were descendants of Jonadab (verse 6), who believed that agricultural and settled life was contrary to the LORD’s will (verses 7-10), probably because of the corrupting influence of the Canaanite fertility cults. See the discussion on the section heading above.

Chambers is normally rendered “rooms.”

Offer them wine to drink: Like the Nazirites (Num 6.1-21), they refused to drink wine, because grapes were for them a symbol of idolatrous Canaanite religious life. For wine see 13.12.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .