Jeremiah 18 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

The Potter and the Clay

1 The word ^H1697 which ^H834 came ^H1961 to Jeremiah ^H3414 from Yahweh ^H3068 saying ^H559,

2 “Arise ^H6965 and go ^H3381 down ^H3381 to the potter’s ^H3335 house ^H1004, and there ^H8033 I will make ^H8085 you hear ^H8085 My words ^H1697.” 3 Then I went ^H3381 down ^H3381 to the potter’s ^H3335 house ^H1004, and behold ^H2009, he was making ^H6213 something ^H4399 on the [fn]wheel ^H70. 4 But the vessel ^H3627 that he was making ^H6213 of clay ^H2563 was ruined ^H7843 in the hand ^H3027 of the potter ^H3335, so he turned ^H7725 around and made ^H6213 it into another ^H312 vessel ^H3627, according to what was ^H3474 right ^H3474 in the eyes ^H5869 of the potter ^H3335 to make ^H6213.

5 Then the word ^H1697 of Yahweh ^H3068 came ^H1961 to me saying ^H559, 6 “Can ^H3201 I not, O house ^H1004 of Israel ^H3478, deal ^H6213 with you as this ^H2088 potter ^H3335 does?” declares ^H5002 Yahweh ^H3068. “Behold ^H2009, like the clay ^H2563 in the potter’s ^H3335 hand ^H3027, so ^H3651 are you in My hand ^H3027, O house ^H1004 of Israel ^H3478. 7 At one moment ^H7281 I might speak ^H1696 concerning ^H5921 a nation ^H1471 or concerning ^H5921 a kingdom ^H4467 to uproot ^H5428, to tear ^H5422 down ^H5422, or to make ^H6 it perish ^H6; 8 but if that nation ^H1471 against ^H5921 which ^H834 I have spoken ^H1696 turns ^H7725 from its evil ^H7451, I will [fn]relent ^H5162 concerning ^H5921 the calamity ^H7451 I planned ^H2803 to do ^H6213 against it. 9 Or at another moment ^H7281 I might speak ^H1696 concerning ^H5921 a nation ^H1471 or concerning ^H5921 a kingdom ^H4467 to build ^H1129 up ^H1129 or to plant ^H5193 it; 10 but if it does ^H6213 evil ^H7451 in My sight ^H5869 by not listening ^H8085 to My voice ^H6963, then I will [fn]relent ^H5162 concerning the good ^H2896 which ^H834 I promised ^H559, to do ^H3190 good ^H3190 to it. 11 So now ^H6258 then, speak ^H559 to the men ^H376 of Judah ^H3063 and against ^H5921 the inhabitants ^H3427 of Jerusalem ^H3389 saying ^H559, ‘Thus ^H3541 says ^H559 Yahweh ^H3068, “Behold ^H2009, I am forming ^H3335 calamity ^H7451 against ^H5921 you and devising ^H2803 a plan ^H4284 against ^H5921 you. Oh ^H4994 turn ^H7725 back ^H7725, each ^H376 of you from his evil ^H7451 way ^H1870, and do ^H3190 good ^H3190 in your ways ^H1870 and your deeds ^H4611.”’ 12 But they will say ^H559, ‘It’s hopeless ^H2976! For we are going ^H1980 to follow ^H310 H1980 our own plans ^H4284, and each ^H376 of us will act ^H6213 according to the stubbornness ^H8307 of his evil ^H7451 heart ^H3820.’

13 “Therefore ^H3651 thus ^H3541 says ^H559 Yahweh ^H3068,

‘Ask ^H7592 now ^H4994 among the nations ^H1471,

Who ^H4310 ever heard ^H8085 the like of [fn]this ^H428?

The virgin ^H1330 of Israel ^H3478

Has done ^H6213 a most ^H3966 appalling ^H8186 thing ^H8186.

14 ‘Does the snow ^H7950 of Lebanon ^H3844 forsake ^H5800 the rock ^H6697 of the open country ^H7704?

Or ^H518 is the cold ^H7119 flowing ^H5140 water ^H4325 from a strange ^H2114 land ever uprooted ^H5428?

15 ‘For My people ^H5971 have forgotten ^H7911 Me;

They burn ^H6999 incense ^H6999 [fn]to worthless ^H7723 gods,

And they [fn]have stumbled ^H3782 [fn]from their ways ^H1870,

[fn]From the ancient ^H5769 paths ^H7635,

To walk ^H1980 in bypaths ^H5410,

Not on a highway ^H1870 H5549,

16 To make ^H7760 their land ^H776 an object ^H8047 of horror ^H8047,

An object of perpetual ^H5769 hissing ^H8292;

Everyone ^H3605 who passes ^H5674 by it will be ^H8074 [fn]horrified ^H8074

And shake ^H5110 his head ^H7218.

17 ‘Like an east ^H6921 wind ^H7307 I will scatter ^H6327 them

Before ^H6440 the enemy ^H340;

I will [fn]show ^H7200 them My back ^H6203 and not My face ^H6440

In the day ^H3117 of their disaster ^H343.’”

18 Then they said ^H559, “Come ^H1980 and let us devise ^H2803 plans ^H4284 against ^H5921 Jeremiah ^H3414. Surely ^H3588 the law ^H8451 is not going to perish ^H6 from the priest ^H3548, nor ^H3808 counsel ^H6098 to the wise ^H2450 man, nor ^H3808 the divine word ^H1697 to the prophet ^H5030! Come ^H1980 on and let us strike ^H5221 at him with our tongue ^H3956, and let us give ^H7181 no ^H408 heed ^H7181 to any ^H3605 of his words ^H1697.”

19 Do give ^H7181 heed ^H7181 to me, O Yahweh ^H3068,

And listen ^H8085 to the voice ^H6963 of those who contend ^H3401 against me ^H6963!

20 Should good ^H2896 be repaid ^H7999 with evil ^H7451?

For they have dug ^H3738 a pit ^H7745 for [fn]me.

Remember ^H2142 how I stood ^H5975 before ^H6440 You

To speak ^H1696 good ^H2896 on ^H5921 their behalf ^H5921,

So as to turn ^H7725 away ^H7725 Your wrath ^H2534 from them.

21 Therefore ^H3651, give ^H5414 their children ^H1121 over to famine ^H7458

And deliver ^H5064 them up to the [fn]power ^H3027 of the sword ^H2719;

And let their wives ^H802 become ^H1961 childless ^H7909 and widowed ^H490.

Let their men ^H376 also be [fn]smitten ^H2026 to death ^H4194,

Their young ^H970 men ^H970 struck ^H5221 down ^H5221 by the sword ^H2719 in battle ^H4421.

22 May an outcry ^H2201 be heard ^H8085 from their houses ^H1004,

When ^H3588 You suddenly ^H6597 bring ^H935 raiders ^H1416 upon them;

For they have dug ^H3738 a pit ^H7745 to capture ^H3920 me

And hidden ^H2934 snares ^H6341 for my feet ^H7272.

23 Yet You, O Yahweh ^H3068, know ^H3045

All ^H3605 their [fn]deadly ^H4194 counsel ^H6098 against ^H5921 me;

Do not atone ^H3722 for their iniquity ^H5771

Or blot ^H4229 out ^H4229 their sin ^H2403 from before ^H6440 You.

But may they be [fn]overthrown ^H3782 before ^H6440 You;

Deal ^H6213 with them in the time ^H6256 of Your anger ^H639!