11 Heb “We have not drunk wine all our days.” Actually vv. 8b–9a are a series of infinitive constructs plus the negative לְבִלְתִּי (lévilti) explaining the particulars of how they have obeyed, i.e., by not drinking wine … and by not building.…” The more direct declarative statement is used here to shorten the sentence and is more in keeping with contemporary style.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

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, ourselves, our wives, our sons, or our daughters,

NIVNew International Version (2011)

We have obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab commanded us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine

CSBChristian Standard Bible

We have obeyed Jonadab, son of our ancestor Rechab, in all he commanded us. So we haven’t drunk wine our whole life—we, our wives, our sons, and our daughters.

NLTNew Living Translation

So we have obeyed him in all these things. We have never had a drink of wine to this day, nor have our wives, our sons, or our daughters.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And we obeyed the voice of Jonadab, the son of Rechab, our ancestor, in all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, ourselves, our wives, our sons, or our daughters,

KJV 1900King James Version

Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;

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