| Easton's Bible Dictionary Horseman, or chariot. (1.) One of Ishbosheth's "captains of bands" or leaders of predatory troops (2 Samuel 4:2). (2.) The father of Jehonadab, who was the father of the Rechabites (2 Kings 10:15, 23; Jeremiah 35:6-19). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia RECHAB; RECHABITES re'-kab, rek'-a-bits (rekhabh, rekhabhim): Rechab is the name of two men of some prominence in the Old Testament records:
(1) A Benjamite of the town of Beeroth, son of Rimmon (2 Samuel 4:2); he and his brother Baanah were "captains" of the military host of Ish-bosheth. On the death of Abner (2 Samuel 3:30) the two brothers treacherously entered Ish-bosheth's house, when at noon he was resting and helpless, beheaded him, and escaped with the head to David at Hebron (2 Samuel 4:6-8). They expected to receive reward and honor from David for the foul deed, which left him without a rival for the throne of all Israel. But the just and noble-minded king ordered their immediate execution (2 Samuel 4:9-12), as in the case of the Amalekite, who asserted that he had killed Saul (2 Samuel 1). For some reason the Beerothites left their own town and fled to Gittaim, another town in Benjamin, where they were still living when the Books of Samuel were written (2 Samuel 4:3).
(2) The more prominent of the men bearing this name was a Kenite (see KENITES), a descendant of Hammath (1 Chronicles 2:55). A part of the Kenite tribe joined the Israelites during the wilderness wanderings (Numbers 10:29-32 Judges 1:16; Judges 4:17), becoming identified with the tribe of Judah, although Heber and Jael his wife were settled in Northern Palestine (Judges 4:17). Rechab was the ancestor or founder of a family, or order, in Israel known as the Rechabites, who at various times were conspicuous in the religious life of the nation. The most notable member of this family was Jehonadab (2 Kings 10:15; 2 Kings 23), or Jonadab, as he is called in Jeremiah 35. Jehonadab was a zealous Yahweh-worshipper and took part with Jehu in the extirpation of Baal-worship and the house of Ahab. He set for his descendants a vow of asceticism: that they should drink no wine, nor plant fields or vineyards, nor build nor live in houses throughout their generations (Jeremiah 35:6, 7). That must have been a singular feature in Palestinian life: the simple, nomadic life of this family from generation to generation in the midst of settled agricultural and industrial conditions! They followed this simple life in order to guard against the enervating tendencies of sensualism, and as a covenant of fidelity to Yahweh, to whom they wholly devoted themselves when they joined themselves to Israel. Jeremiah used the Rechabites, who had been driven into Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar's investment of the land, as an object-lesson to covenant-breaking Judah. The Rechabites, hungry and thirsty, refused wine when it was set before them, because of the command of their ancestor Jonadab (Jeremiah 35:8-10); but Judah refused to heed Yahweh's commands or to keep His covenant (Jeremiah 35:14, 15).
If the Rechab of Nehemiah 3:14 is the same as this Kenite, then his descendant Malchijah, who assisted Nehemiah in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, may have abandoned the vow of his ancestors, for he was "ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem" (i.e. "house of the vineyard").
Edward Mack |  | Multi-Version Concordance Rechab (13 Occurrences) 2 Samuel 4:2 Ishbosheth, Saul's son, had two men who were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is reckoned to Benjamin: (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) 2 Samuel 4:5 The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, as he took his rest at noon. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) 2 Samuel 4:6 They came there into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they struck him in the body: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) 2 Samuel 4:9 David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, "As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity, (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) 2 Kings 10:15 When he had departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him, and said to him, "Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?" Jehonadab answered, "It is." "If it is, give me your hand." He gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) 2 Kings 10:23 Jehu went with Jehonadab the son of Rechab into the house of Baal. Then he said to the worshippers of Baal, "Search, and look that there are here with you none of the servants of Yahweh, but the worshippers of Baal only." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) 1 Chronicles 2:55 The families of scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, the Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came of Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) Nehemiah 3:14 The dung gate repaired Malchijah the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth Haccherem; he built it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) Jeremiah 35:6 But they said, We will drink no wine; for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, You shall drink no wine, neither you, nor your sons, forever: (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) Jeremiah 35:8 We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters; (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) Jeremiah 35:14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons, not to drink wine, are performed; and to this day they drink none, for they obey their father's commandment: but I have spoken to you, rising up early and speaking; and you have not listened to me. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) Jeremiah 35:16 Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to me; (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) Jeremiah 35:19 therefore thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me forever. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) |
