Jeremiah 18

The Potter and the Clay

1The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2“Arise and 1go down to the potter’s house, and there I will announce My words to you.” 3So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel. 4But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.

5Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 6“Am I not able, house of Israel, to deal with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Behold, like the 2clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, house of Israel. 7At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to 3uproot it, to tear it down, or to destroy it; 84if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will 5relent of the disaster that I planned to bring on it. 9Or at another moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to 6build up or to plant it; 10if it does 7evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will 8relent of the good with which I said 9that I would bless it. 11So now, speak to the men of Judah and against the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Behold, I am 10forming a disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Now 11turn back, each of you from his evil way, and 12correct your ways and your deeds!”’ 12But 13they will say, ‘It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will 14persist in the 15stubbornness of his evil heart.’

13“Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘16Just ask among the nations, Who ever heard anything like 17this? The 18virgin of Israel Has done a most 19appalling thing.14Does the snow of Lebanon leave the rock of the open country alone? Or is the cold flowing water from a foreign land ever dried up?15For 20My people have forgotten Me, 21They burn incense 22to worthless gods. And they 23have stumbled in their ways, In the 24ancient roads, To walk on paths, Not on a 25highway,16To make their land a 26desolation, An object of perpetual 27hissing; Everyone who passes by it will be astonished And 28shake his head.17Like an 29east wind I will 30scatter them Before the enemy; I will 31show them 32My back and not My face 33In the day of their disaster.’”

18Then they said, “Come and let’s 34devise plans against Jeremiah. Certainly the 35Law is not going to be lost by the priest, nor 36advice by the wise, nor the divine 37word by the prophet! Come, and let’s 38strike at him with our tongue, and let’s 39pay no attention to any of his words.”

19Give Your attention to me, Lord, And listen to 40what my opponents are saying!2041Should good be repaid with evil? For they have 42dug a pit for 43me. Remember how I 44stood before You To speak good in their behalf, So as to turn Your wrath away from them.21Therefore, 45give their children over to famine And turn them over to the 46power of the sword; And let their wives become 47childless and 48widowed. Let their men also be slaughtered to death, Their 49young men struck and killed by the sword in battle.22May a 50cry be heard from their houses When You suddenly bring raiders upon them; 51For they have dug a pit to capture me And 52hidden snares for my feet.23But You, Lord, know All their 53deadly schemes against me; 54Do not 55forgive their wrongdoing Or wipe out their sin from Your sight. But may they be 5657overthrown before You; Deal with them in the 58time of Your anger!