Jeremiah 18:1-17 - The Potter And The Clay

¹ The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, {saying}, ² "Stand up and go down [to] the house of the potter, and there I will let you hear my words." ³ So I went down [to] the house of the potter and look, there he was doing work at the potter's wheels. ⁴ And the vessel that he [was] making with the clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter, so {he made again} another vessel, as it was right in the eyes of the potter to make.

⁵ And the word of Yahweh came to me, {saying}, ⁶ "Like this potter, am I not able to do to you, O house of Israel?" {declares} Yahweh. "Look, like the clay in the hand of the potter, so [are] you in my hand, O house of Israel. ⁷ One moment I speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom, to uproot, and to tear down, and to destroy [it]. ⁸ But [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. ⁹ And the [next] moment I speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom, to build, and to plant [it]. ¹⁰ But [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} of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, {saying}, '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." ' ¹² But 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}?" The virgin of Israel has done something very horrible. ¹⁴ Does the snow of Lebanon leave from [the] crags of Sirion? Or are [the] cold waters flowing from distant mountains dried up? ¹⁵ But my people have forgotten me. They make smoke offerings to the idols, and they caused them to stumble in their ways, [the] ancient ways, to go [into] {bypaths}, not [one that] is built up. ¹⁶ To 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. ¹⁷ Like the wind from the east I will scatter them {before} [the] enemy. I will show them [my] back and not [my] face in the day of their disaster.'"