Verses 8-10 emphasize the Rechabites’ faithfulness to their ancestor’s commands. Because of the overlapping of information in verses 9 and 10, it is possible to place these verses together and arrive at a considerably shorter text, as in Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch.

We have obeyed the voice of … in all that he commanded us: Bible en français courant has “We have obeyed all that our ancestor Jonadab has commanded us.” For obeyed the voice of, see 3.13, and most recently 32.23.

To drink no wine: See verse 2.

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 .