Jeremiah 35:12

Study note

Setting — The text records a divine transmission where Yahweh speaks directly to the prophet Jeremiah. This occurs immediately after the Rechabites recount their adherence to their ancestor's commands despite the threat of Nebuchadnezzar’s armies.

The words — The phrase וַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהוָה (va-yehi devar-Yahweh) literally renders “and it came the word of Yahweh.” The verb יְהִי (yehi) denotes the event of the word arriving or being delivered.

The thread — This formulaic introduction appears repeatedly in the prophetic corpus, such as Jeremiah 1:4 and 25:3, to mark a new divine oracle. It functions as a structural marker for prophetic revelation throughout the book.

Why it lands — The text establishes that Jeremiah’s subsequent message derives directly from divine authority rather than human initiative. It asks the reader to recognize that prophetic instruction carries the weight of the speaker who issued it.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.