Jeremiah 18

1 This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord:

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

2 Go down right away to the potter's house. I will give you my message there.

“Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear my words.”

3 I went down to the potter's house and saw him working at his potter's wheel.

Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was making something on the wheels.

4 But the pot that he was making from the clay went wrong. So he made it into something different as he thought best.

When the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

5 The Lord's message came to me, saying,

Then the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

6 People of Israel, declares the Lord, can't I deal with you just like this potter does with his clay? I hold you in my hand just like clay in the potter's hand, people of Israel.

“House of Israel, can’t I do with you as this potter?” says the LORD. “Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.

7 At one time it could happen that I announce that a nation or a kingdom is going to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed.

At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it,

8 However, if that nation I warned gives up its evil ways, then I will change my mind regarding the disaster I was about to bring.

if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.

9 At another time I could announce that I'm going to build up and give power to a nation or a kingdom.

At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it,

10 But if it does evil in my sight and refuses to listen to my voice, then I will change my mind regarding the good I had planned for it.

if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good with which I said I would benefit them.

11 So tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says: Watch out! I am preparing disaster for you, and working out a plan against you. All of you, give up your evil ways. Live right and act right!

“Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘The LORD says: “Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a plan against you. Everyone return from his evil way now, and amend your ways and your doings.”’

12 But they'll say, “We just can't! We'll do whatever we want. Each of us will stubbornly follow our own evil thinking.”

But they say, ‘It is in vain; for we will walk after our own plans, and we will each follow the stubbornness of his evil heart.’”

13 Consequently this is what the Lord says: Ask around the nations—has anybody ever heard anything like this? Virgin Israel has acted really badly.

Therefore the LORD says: “Ask now among the nations, ‘Who has heard such things?’ The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.

14 Does the snow of Lebanon ever disappear from its rocky mountain-tops? Do its cool waters that flow from such distant sources ever dry up?

Will the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? Will the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?

15 But my people have rejected me! They burn incense to useless idols which trip them up, making them leave the old roads in order to walk down unmade paths instead of the highway.

For my people have forgotten me. They have burned incense to false gods. They have been made to stumble in their ways in the ancient paths, to walk in byways, in a way not built up,

16 They have turned their country into a horrific wasteland, a place that will always be treated with contempt. People passing by will be shocked, shaking their heads in disbelief.

to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing. Everyone who passes by it will be astonished, and shake his head.

17 Like a strong wind from the east I will scatter them before the enemy. I will turn my back on them and not look at them when their time of trouble comes.

I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy. I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.

18 Some people decided, “We need a plan to deal with Jeremiah. There'll still be priests to explain the law, there'll still be wise people to give advice, and there'll still be prophets to give prophecies. Let's organize a smear campaign against him so we don't have to listen to a word he says.”

Then they said, “Come! Let’s devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law won’t perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let’s strike him with the tongue, and let’s not give heed to any of his words.”

19 Lord, please pay attention to what's happening to me! Listen to what my accusers are saying!

Give heed to me, LORD, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me.

20 Should good be paid back with evil? Yet they have dug a pit to trap me! Remember how I stood before you to plead on their behalf, to stop you being angry with them?

Should evil be recompensed for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.

21 But now may their children starve; may they be killed by the sword. May their wives lose their children and their husbands; may their husbands die from disease; may their young men be killed in battle.

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives become childless and widows. Let their men be killed and their young men struck by the sword in battle.

22 May cries of agony be heard from their houses when you suddenly bring invaders to attack them, because they dug a pit to capture me and hid traps to catch me as I walk along.

Let a cry be heard from their houses when you bring a troop suddenly on them; for they have dug a pit to take me and hidden snares for my feet.

23 But Lord, you know about all their plots to try and kill me. Don't forgive their wickedness; don't wipe away their sin. Bring them down! Deal with them when you're angry!

Yet, LORD, you know all their counsel against me to kill me. Don’t forgive their iniquity. Don’t blot out their sin from your sight, Let them be overthrown before you. Deal with them in the time of your anger.