< Jeremias 18 >
1 The word that came from the Lord to
2 Jeremias, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there you shall hear my words.
3 So I went down to the potter's house, and behold, he was making a vessel on the stones.
4 And the vessel which he was making with his hands fell: so he made it again another vessel, as it seemed good to him to make [it].
5 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
6 Shall I not be able, O house of Israel, to do to you as this potter? behold, as the clay of the potter are you in my hands.
7 [If] I shall pronounce a decree upon a nation, or upon a kingdom, to cut them off, and to destroy [them];
8 and that nation turn from all their sins, then will I repent of the evils which I purposed to do to them.
9 And [if] I shall pronounce a decree upon a nation and kingdom, to rebuild and to plant [it];
10 and they do evil before me, so as not to listen to my voice, then will I repent of the good which I spoke of, to do it to them.
11 And now say to the men of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Behold, I prepare evils against you, and devise a device against you: let every one turn now from his evil way, and amend your practices.
12 And they said, We will quit ourselves like men, for we will pursue our perverse ways, and we will perform each the lusts of his evil heart.
13 Therefore thus says the Lord; Enquire now amongst the nations, who has heard such very horrible things as the virgin of Israel has done?
14 Will fertilising streams fail [to flow] from a rock, or snow [fail] from Libanus? will water violently impelled by the wind turn aside?
15 For my people have forgotten me, they have offered incense in vain, and they fail in their ways, [leaving] the ancient tracks, to enter upon impassable paths;
16 to make their land a desolation, and a perpetual hissing; all that go through it shall be amazed, and shall shake their heads.
17 I will scatter them before their enemies like an east wind; I will show them the day of their destruction.
18 Then they said, Come, and let us devise a device against Jeremias; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and we will hear all his words.
19 Hear me, O Lord, and hear the voice of my pleading.
20 Forasmuch as evil is rewarded for good; for they have spoken words against my soul, and they have hidden the punishment they [meant] for me; remember that I stood before your face, to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
21 Therefore do you deliver their sons to famine, and gather them to the power of the sword: let their women be childless and widows; and let their men be cut off by death, and their young men fall by the sword in war.
22 Let there be a cry in their houses: you shall bring upon them robbers suddenly: for they have formed a plan to take me, and have hidden snares for me.
23 And you, Lord, know all their deadly counsel against me: account not their iniquities guiltless, and blot not out their sins from before you: let their weakness come before you; deal with them in the time of your wrath.
