Jeremiah 18
18
The Potter and the Clay
1The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,#Literally “to say” 2“Stand up and go down to the house of the potter, and there I will let you hear my words.” 3So I went down to the house of the potter and look, there he was doing work at the potter’s wheels. 4And the vessel that he was making with the clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter, so he made again#Literally “he turned back and he made it” another vessel, as it was right in the eyes of the potter to make.
5And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,#Literally “to say” 6“Like this potter, am I not able to do to you, O house of Israel?” declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh. “Look, like the clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7One moment I speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom, to uproot, and to tear down, and to destroy it.#Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation 8But if that nation turns back from its evil that I have threatened against it, then I will relent concerning the disaster that I planned to do to it. 9And the next moment I speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom, to build, and to plant it.#Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation 10But if it does evil in my sight, to not listen to my voice, then I will relent concerning the good that I said I would do to it.
11“So now then, say, please, to the people#Literally “man” of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying,#Literally “to say” ‘Thus says Yahweh, “Look, I am preparing evil against you, and I am planning a plan against you. Please turn back, each one from his evil way, and walk rightly in your ways and your deeds.” ’ 12But they will say, ‘It is hopeless, for we will go after our own plans, and each one of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’
13“Therefore thus says Yahweh,
‘Please ask among the nations, “Who has heard the like of this?”#Literally “like these”
The virgin of Israel has done something very horrible.
14Does the snow of Lebanon leave from the crags#Hebrew “crag” of Sirion?
Or are the cold waters flowing from distant mountains dried up?
15But my people have forgotten me.
They make smoke offerings to the idols,#Hebrew “idol”
and they caused them to stumble in their ways, the ancient ways,
to go into bypaths,#Literally “paths of way” not one that is built up.
16To make their land a horror,
an object of whistling for eternity.
All who pass by it will be appalled,
and he will shake his head.
17Like the wind from the east
I will scatter them before#Literally “to the face of” the enemy.
I will show them my back and not my face
in the day of their disaster.’ ”
Jeremiah’s Imprecatory Prayer
18Then they said, “Come and let us plan plans against Jeremiah, for instruction will not be lost from the priest, nor advice from the wise man, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us bring charges against him,#Literally “let us strike him with the tongue” and let us not listen attentively to any of his words.”
19Listen attentively to me, O Yahweh,
and listen to the voice of my opponents.
20Should good be repaid in place of evil?
Yet they have dug a pit for me.
Remember my standing before you#Literally “to the face of you” to speak good for them,
to avert your wrath from them.
21Therefore#Literally “To thus” give their children to the famine,
and hand them over to the power#Literally “hand” of the sword,
and let their wives be bereaved and widows,
and let their men be killed by death,
their young men struck dead
by the sword in the battle.
22Let a cry for help be heard from their houses
when you suddenly bring upon them the raiding band,
for they have dug a pit to catch me,
and they have fixed secretly a trap for my feet.
23But you, O Yahweh, you know
all their plans of assassination against me.#Literally “all of their plan against me to the death”
You must not make atonement for their iniquity,
and you must not cause their sin to be blotted out from before you.#Literally “to the face of you”
But let them be overthrown before you.#Literally “to the face of you”
Deal with them in the time of your anger.
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Jeremiah 18
18
The Potter and the Clay
1The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2“Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will make you hear My words.” 3Then I went down to the potter’s house, and saw that he was working at the wheel. 4But the vessel that he was making from clay was spoiled by the potter’s hand; so he made it over, reworking it and making it into another pot that seemed good to him.
5Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6“O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” says the Lord. “Look carefully, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel. 7At one moment I might [suddenly] speak concerning a nation or kingdom, that I will uproot and break down and destroy; 8if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will #Lit repent of.relent and reverse My decision concerning the devastation that I intended to do. 9Or at another time I might [suddenly] speak about a nation or kingdom that I will build up or establish; 10and if they do evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will reverse My decision concerning the good with which I had promised to bless them. 11Now then, say to the men of Judah and to the citizens of Jerusalem, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am shaping a disaster and working out a plan against you. Turn back, each of you from his evil way; correct your habits and change your actions for the better.” ’ 12But they will say, ‘That is hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act in accordance with the stubbornness of his evil heart.’
13“Therefore thus says the Lord,
‘Ask now among the nations,
Who has heard of such things?
The virgin Israel
Has done a very vile and horrible thing.
14Will the snow of [Mount] Lebanon melt and vanish from its rocks [which tower above Israel]?
Will the cold, rushing waters of foreign lands [that flow down from the distant land] be dried up?
15Yet My people have forgotten Me;
They burn incense to worthless gods,
They have stumbled from their ways
From the ancient roads,
To walk in pathways,
Not on a highway,
16Making their land a desolation and a horror,
A thing to be hissed at perpetually;
Everyone who passes by will be astounded
And shake his head [in scorn].
17I will scatter them like an east wind
Before the enemy;
I will show them My back and not My face
In the day of their disaster [says the Lord].’ ”
18Then [my enemies] said, “Come and let us work out schemes against Jeremiah. Surely the law is not going to be lost to the priest [as Jeremiah predicts], nor the counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us strike him with our tongue [by making charges against him before the king], and let us ignore anything he says.”
19Pay attention to me, O Lord [and intercede];
Listen to what my adversaries are saying [and are plotting against me]—
20Should good be repaid with evil?
Yet they have dug a pit for me.
Remember [with compassion] that I stood before You
To speak good on their behalf,
To turn Your anger away from them.
21Therefore, give their children over to the famine;
Give them over to the power of the sword.
And let their wives become childless and widowed;
Let their men meet death [by virulent disease],
Their young men be struck down by the sword in battle.
22Let an outcry be heard from their houses
When You suddenly bring [a troop of] raiders upon them,
For they have dug a pit to capture me
And have hidden snares for my feet.
23Yet You, O Lord, know
All their deadly plotting against me;
Do not forgive their wickedness
Or blot out their sin from Your sight.
But let them be overthrown before You;
Deal with them in the time of Your anger.
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