Chapter 18

The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,²

Arise,³ and go down¹ to the potter's⁶ house, and there I will cause thee to hear⁵⁵ my words.

Then I went down⁴ to the potter's⁶ house, and, behold, he wrought⁶ a work on the wheels.

And the vessel that he made⁶ of clay was marred⁸ in the hand of the potter:⁶ so he made⁴ it again¹ another vessel, as seemed good¹ to the potter⁶ to make² [it].

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,²

O house of Israel, cannot ^{3201 4} I do² with you as this potter?⁶ saith⁷ the LORD. Behold, as the clay [is] in the potter's⁶ hand, so [are] ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

[At what] instant I shall speak¹⁷ concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up,² and to pull down,² and to destroy⁵³ [it];

If that nation, against whom I have pronounced,¹⁴ turn¹ from their evil, I will repent⁸ of the evil that I thought¹ to do² unto them.

And [at what] instant I shall speak¹⁷ concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build² and to plant² [it];

If it do¹ evil in my sight, that it obey² not my voice, then I will repent⁸ of the good, wherewith I said¹ I would benefit⁵³ them.

Now therefore go to, speak³ to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants⁶ of Jerusalem, saying,² Thus saith¹ the LORD; Behold, I frame⁶ evil against you, and devise⁶ a device against you: return³ ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.⁵⁴

And they said,¹ There is no hope:¹² but we will walk⁴ after our own devices, and we will every one do⁴ the imagination of his evil heart.

Therefore thus saith¹ the LORD; Ask³ ye now among the heathen, who hath heard¹ such things: the virgin of Israel hath done¹ a very horrible thing.

Will [a man] leave⁴ the snow of Lebanon [which cometh] from the rock of the field? [or] shall the cold flowing⁶ waters that come from another place⁵ be forsaken?¹¹

Because my people hath forgotten¹ me, they have burned incense¹⁷ to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble⁵⁵ in their ways [from] the ancient paths, ⁷⁶³⁵ to walk² in paths, [in] a way not cast up;⁷

To make² their land desolate, [and] a perpetual hissing; ⁸²⁹² every one that passeth⁶ thereby shall be astonished,⁴ and wag⁵⁵ his head.

I will scatter⁵⁵ them as with an east wind before the enemy;⁶ I will shew⁴ them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.

Then said⁴ they, Come,³ and let us devise⁴ devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish⁴ from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come,³ and let us smite⁵⁵ him with the tongue, and let us not give heed⁵⁵ to any of his words.

Give heed⁵⁴ to me, O LORD, and hearken³ to the voice of them that contend with me.

Shall evil be recompensed²⁹ for good? for they have digged¹ a pit for my soul. Remember³ that I stood² before thee to speak¹⁵ good for them, [and] to turn away⁵³ thy wrath from them.

Therefore deliver up³ their children to the famine, and pour out⁵⁴ their [blood] by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and [be] widows; and let their men be put⁷ to death; [let] their young men [be] slain⁹⁴ by the sword in battle.

Let a cry be heard¹¹ from their houses, when thou shalt bring⁵⁵ a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged¹ a pit ⁷⁸⁸² to take² me, and hid¹ snares for my feet.

Yet, LORD, thou knowest¹ all their counsel against me to slay [me]: forgive¹⁷ not their iniquity, neither blot out⁵⁵ their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown⁹⁴ before thee; deal³ [thus] with them in the time of thine anger.