Jeremiah 18

The Potter and the Clay

1The wordH1697 thatH834 cameH1961 to JeremiahH3414 from the LordH3068, sayingH559, 2“AriseH6965 and 1goH3381 downH3381 to the potter’sH3335 houseH1004, and thereH8033 I will announceH8085 My wordsH1697 to you.” 3So I wentH3381 downH3381 to the potter’sH3335 houseH1004, and thereH2009 he was, makingH6213 somethingH4399 on the wheelH70. 4But the vesselH3627 that he was makingH6213 of clayH2563 was spoiledH7843 in the handH3027 of the potterH3335; so he remadeH7725H6213 it into anotherH312 vesselH3627, as it pleasedH5869H3474 the potterH3335 to makeH6213.

5Then the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 to me, sayingH559, 6“AmH3201 I not ableH3201, houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, to dealH6213 with you as thisH2088 potterH3335 does?” declaresH5002 the LordH3068. “BeholdH2009, like the 2clayH2563 in the potter’sH3335 handH3027, soH3651 are you in My handH3027, houseH1004 of IsraelH3478. 7At one momentH7281 I might speakH1696 concerningH5921 a nationH1471 or concerningH5921 a kingdomH4467 to 3uprootH5428 it, to tearH5422 it downH5422, or to destroyH6 it; 84if that nationH1471 againstH5921 whichH834 I have spokenH1696 turnsH7725 from its evilH7463, I will 5relentH5162 of the disasterH7463 that I plannedH2803 to bringH6213 on it. 9Or at another momentH7281 I might speakH1696 concerningH5921 a nationH1471 or concerningH5921 a kingdomH4467 to 6buildH1129 upH1129 or to plantH5193 it; 10if it doesH6213 7evilH7451 in My sightH5869 by not obeyingH8085 My voiceH6963, then I will 8relentH5162 of the goodH2899 with whichH834 I saidH559 9that I would blessH3190 it. 11So nowH6258, speakH559 to the menH376 of JudahH3063 and againstH5921 the inhabitantsH3427 of JerusalemH3389, sayingH559, ‘ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068 saysH559: “BeholdH2009, I am 10formingH3335 a disasterH7463 againstH5921 you and devisingH2803 a planH4284 againstH5921 you. NowH4994 11turnH7725 backH7725, eachH376 of you from his evilH7451 wayH1870, and 12correctH3190 your waysH1870 and your deedsH4611!”’ 12But 13they will sayH559, ‘It’s hopelessH2976! For we are goingH1980 to followH310H1980 our own plansH4284, and eachH376 of us will 14persistH6213 in the 15stubbornnessH8307 of his evilH7451 heartH3820.’

13“ThereforeH3651 thisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068 saysH559: ‘16JustH4994 askH7592 among the nationsH1471, WhoH4310 ever heardH8085 anything like 17thisH428? The 18virginH1330 of IsraelH3478 Has doneH6213 a mostH3966 19appallingH8186 thingH8186.14Does the snowH7950 of LebanonH3844 leaveH5800 the rockH6697 of the open countryH7706 aloneH5800? OrH518 is the coldH7119 flowingH5140 waterH4325 from a foreignH2114 land ever driedH5405 upH5405?15For 20My peopleH5971 have forgottenH7911 Me, 21They burnH6999 incenseH6999 22to worthlessH7723 gods. And they 23have stumbledH3782 in their waysH1870, In the 24ancientH5769 roadsH7635, To walkH1980 on pathsH5410, Not on a 25highwayH1870H5549,16To makeH7760 their landH776 a 26desolationH8047, An object of perpetualH5769 27hissingH8292; EveryoneH3605 who passesH5674 by it will be astonishedH8074 And 28shakeH5110 his headH7218.17Like an 29eastH6921 windH7307 I will 30scatterH6327 them BeforeH6440 the enemyH340; I will 31showH7200 them 32My backH6203 and not My faceH6440 33In the dayH3117 of their disasterH343.’”

18Then they saidH559, “ComeH1980 and let’s 34deviseH2803 plansH4284 againstH5921 JeremiahH3414. CertainlyH3588 the 35LawH8451 is not going to be lostH6 by the priestH3548, norH3808 36adviceH6098 by the wiseH2450, norH3808 the divine 37wordH1697 by the prophetH5030! ComeH1980, and let’s 38strikeH5221 at him with our tongueH3956, and let’s 39payH7181 noH408 attentionH7181 to anyH3605 of his wordsH1697.”

19GiveH7181 Your attentionH7181 to me, LordH3068, And listenH8085 to 40whatH6963 my opponentsH3401 are sayingH6963!2041Should goodH2899 be repaidH7999 with evilH7463? For they have 42dugH3738 a pitH7745 for 43me. RememberH2142 how I 44stoodH5975 beforeH6440 You To speakH1696 goodH2899 inH5921 their behalfH5921, So as to turnH7725 Your wrathH2534 awayH7725 from them.21ThereforeH3651, 45giveH5414 their childrenH1121 overH5414 to famineH7458 And turnH5064 them overH5064 to the 46powerH3027 of the swordH2719; And let their wivesH802 becomeH1961 47childlessH7909 and 48widowedH490. Let their menH376 also be slaughteredH2026 to deathH4194, Their 49youngH970 menH970 struckH5221 andH5221 killedH5221 by the swordH2719 in battleH4421.22May a 50cryH2201 be heardH8085 from their housesH1004 WhenH3588 You suddenlyH6597 bringH935 raidersH1416 upon them; 51For they have dugH3738 a pitH7745 to captureH3920 me And 52hiddenH2934 snaresH6341 for my feetH7272.23But You, LordH3068, knowH3045 AllH3605 their 53deadlyH4194 schemesH6098 againstH5921 me; 54Do not 55forgiveH3722 their wrongdoingH5771 Or wipeH4229 outH4229 their sinH2403 from Your sightH6440. But may they be 5657overthrownH3782 beforeH6440 You; DealH6213 with them in the 58timeH6256 of Your angerH639!