Jeremiah 18

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,

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

2 “Arise and go out to the potter's house, for I will have you hear my word there.”

"Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear my words."

3 So I went out to the potter's house, and behold! The potter was working on the potter's wheel.

Then I went down to the potter's house, and look, he was making a work on the wheels.

4 But the object of clay that he was molding was ruined in his hand, so he changed his mind and made another object that seemed good in his eyes to do.

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 Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

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

6 “Should I not be able to act like this potter with you, house of Israel?—this is Yahweh's declaration. Behold! Like clay in a potter's hand—that is how you are in my hand, house of Israel.

"'House of Israel, can't I do with you as this potter?' says the LORD. 'Look, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.'

7 At one moment, I may proclaim something about a nation or a kingdom, that I will drive it out, tear it down, or destroy it.

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

8 But if the nation about which I have made that proclamation turns from its evil, then I will relent from the disaster that I was planning to bring upon it.

if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I thought to do to them.

9 At another moment, I may proclaim something about a nation or a kingdom, that I will build it up or plant it.

At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

10 But if it does evil in my eyes by not listening to my voice, then I will stop the good that I had said I would do for them.

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 now, speak to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and say, 'Yahweh says this: See, I am about to form disaster against you. I am about to devise a plan against you. Repent, each person from his wicked way, so your ways and your practices will bring good to you.'

Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: Look, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return now everyone from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.'

12 But they will say, 'This is no use. We will act according to our own plans. Each one of us will do what his evil, stubborn heart desires.'

But they say, 'It is in vain; for we will walk after our own devices, and we will do everyone after the stubbornness of his evil heart.'"

13 Therefore Yahweh says this, 'Ask the nations, who has ever heard of such a thing as this? The virgin Israel has committed a horrible act.

Therefore thus says the LORD: "Ask now among the nations, who has heard such things; the virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.

14 Does the snow in Lebanon ever leave the rocky hills on its sides? Are the mountain streams coming from far away ever destroyed, those cold streams?

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

15 Yet my people have forgotten me. They have made offerings to useless idols and been made to stumble in their paths; they have left the ancient paths to walk lesser paths.

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

16 Their land will become a horror, an object of everlasting hissing. Everyone who passes by her will shudder and shake his head.

to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; everyone who passes thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.

17 I will scatter them before their enemies like an eastern wind. I will show them my back, and not my face, on the day of their disaster.'”

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 So the people said, “Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, since the law will never perish from the priests, or advice from the wise men, or words from the prophets. Come, let us attack him with our words and no longer pay attention to anything he proclaims.”

Then they said, "Come, and let us make plans against Jeremiah; 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 let us not give heed to any of his words."

19 Pay attention to me, Yahweh, and listen to the voice of my enemies.

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

20 Will disaster from them really be my reward for being good to them? For they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before you to speak for their welfare, to cause your fury to turn away from them.

Shall 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 Therefore give their children over to famine, and give them to the hands of those who use the sword. So let their women become bereaved and widows, and their men be killed, and their young men killed by the sword in battle.

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, and their young men struck of the sword in battle.

22 Let a distressed shout be heard from their houses, as you suddenly bring raiders against them. For they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden traps for my feet.

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

23 But you, Yahweh, you know all of their plans against me to kill me. Do not forgive their iniquities and sins. Do not wipe their sins away from you. Instead, let them be overthrown before you. Act against them in the time of your wrath.

Yet, LORD, you know all their counsel against me to kill me; do not forgive their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from your sight; but let them be overthrown before you; deal you with them in the time of your anger."