Jeremiah 18:4

Jeremiah 18:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
• New International Version (NIV)But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.

Context of Jeremiah 18:4

2“Go down at once to the potter’s house. I will speak to you further there.” 3So I went down to the potter’s house and found him working at his wheel. Now and then there would be something wrong with the pot he was molding from the clay with his hands. So he would rework the clay into another kind of pot as he saw fit. 5Then the Lord said to me, 6“I, the Lord, say: ‘O nation of Israel, can I not deal with you as this potter deals with the clay? In my hands, you, O nation of Israel, are just like the clay in this potter’s hand.’

Jeremiah 18:4 word by word

וְנִשְׁחַ֣ת הַכְּלִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר ה֥וּא עֹשֶׂ֛ה בַּחֹ֖מֶר בְּיַ֣ד הַיּוֹצֵ֑ר וְשָׁ֗ב וַֽיַּעֲשֵׂ֙הוּ֙ כְּלִ֣י אַחֵ֔ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר יָשַׁ֛ר בְּעֵינֵ֥י הַיּוֹצֵ֖ר לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the vesselכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
• that he madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• of clayחֹ֫מֶרchômer · clayH2563
• was marredשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
• in the handיָדyâd · handH3027
• of the potterיָצַרyâtsar · to form: potterH3335
• it againשׁוּבshûb · to return: againH7725
• anotherאַחֵר'achêr · anotherH312
• as seemedעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
• goodיָשַׁרyâshar · to smoothH3474
• to makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Cross-references for Jeremiah 18:4

• Jeremiah 18:6“I, the Lord, say: ‘O nation of Israel, can I not deal with you as this potter deals with the clay? In my hands, you, O nation of Israel, are just like the clay in this potter’s hand.’
• Isaiah 45:9One who argues with his creator is in grave danger, one who is like a mere shard among the other shards on the ground! The clay should not say to the potter, “What in the world are you doing? Your work lacks skill!”
• Romans 9:20But who indeed are you – a mere human being – to talk back to God? Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?”

Commentaries on Jeremiah 18:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4The vessel - was marred in the hands of the potter - It did not stand in the working; it got out of shape; or some gravel or small stone having been incorporated with the mass of clay, made a breach in that part where it was found, so that the potter was obliged to knead up the clay afresh, place it on the wheel, and form it anew; and then it was such a vessel as seemed good to the potter to make it.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-4Jeremiah watched the potter shape a clay jar. The potter then crushed it and began again.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. marred--spoiled. "Of clay" is the true reading, which was corrupted into "as clay" (Margin), through the similarity of the two Hebrew letters, and from Jr 18:6, "as the clay."Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 18:4

• Pottery

In the dictionaries

• Clay
• Smite
• Wag
• Good
• Potter; Pottery
• Providence
• Handicraft

Commentaries on Jeremiah 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings