Jeremiah 18

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

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

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

“Go down at once to the potter’s house, and there I will reveal My message to you.”

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

So I went down to the potter’s house and saw him working at the wheel.

4 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.

But the vessel that he was shaping from the clay became flawed in his hand; so he formed it into another vessel, as it seemed best for him to do.

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

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

6 “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.

“O house of Israel, declares the LORD, can I not treat you as this potter treats his clay? Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.

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

At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed.

8 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.

But if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will relent of the disaster I had planned to bring.

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

And if at another time I announce that I will build up and establish a nation or kingdom,

10 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.

and if it does evil in My sight and does not listen to My voice, then I will relent of the good I had intended for it.

11 “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.”’

Now therefore, tell the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘Behold, I am planning a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways, and correct your ways and deeds.’

12 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.’”

But they will reply, ‘It is hopeless. We will follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’”

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

Therefore this is what the LORD says: “Inquire among the nations: Who has ever heard things like these? Virgin Israel has done a most terrible thing.

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

Does the snow of Lebanon ever leave its rocky slopes? Or do its cool waters flowing from a distance ever run dry?

15 For my people have forgotten me. They have burnt 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,

Yet My people have forgotten Me. They burn incense to worthless idols that make them stumble in their ways, leaving the ancient roads to walk on rutted bypaths instead of on the highway.

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

They have made their land a desolation, a perpetual object of scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and shake their heads.

17 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.

I will scatter them before the enemy like the east wind. I will show them My back and not My face in the day of their calamity.”

18 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.”

Then some said, “Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah, for the law will never be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise, nor an oracle to the prophet. Come, let us denounce him and pay no heed to any of his words.”

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

Attend to me, O LORD. Hear what my accusers are saying!

20 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.

Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good on their behalf, to turn Your wrath from them.

21 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.

Therefore, hand their children over to famine; pour out the power of the sword upon them. Let their wives become childless and widowed; let their husbands be slain by disease, their young men struck down by the sword in battle.

22 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.

Let a cry be heard from their houses when You suddenly bring raiders against them, for they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden snares for my feet.

23 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.

But You, O LORD, know all their deadly plots against me. Do not wipe out their guilt or blot out their sin from Your sight. Let them be overthrown before You; deal with them in the time of Your anger.