ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Jeremiah 18.7-10

Book: Jeremiah · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV (ASV)

"5. Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, 6. O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith Jehovah. Behold, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel."

"7. 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. if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. 9. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; 10. if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them."

"11. Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings. 12. But they say, It is in vain; for we will walk after our own devices, and we will do every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart." (Jeremiah 18:5-12, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"5. Then Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 6. “House of Israel, can’t I do with you as this potter?” says Yahweh. “Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel."

"7. 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. if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them. 9. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; 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."

"11. “Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Yahweh says: “Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you. Everyone return from his evil way now, and amend your ways and your doings.”’ 12. 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.’”" (Jeremiah 18:5-12, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"5. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 6. O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel."

"7. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; 8. If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. 9. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; 10. If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them."

"11. Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good. 12. And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart." (Jeremiah 18:5-12, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"5. And there is a word of Jehovah to me, saying: 6. As this potter am I not able to do to you? O house of Israel, an affirmation of Jehovah. Lo, as clay in the hand of the potter, So [are] ye in My hand, O house of Israel."

"7. The moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, To pluck up and to break down, and to destroy, 8. And that nation hath turned from its evil, Because I have spoken against it, Then I have repented of the evil that I thought to do to it. 9. And the moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, to build, and to plant, 10. And it hath done the evil thing in Mine eyes, So as not to hearken to My voice, Then I have repented of the good That I have spoken of doing to it."

"11. And now, speak, I pray thee, unto men of Judah, And against inhabitants of Jerusalem, Saying: Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am framing against you evil, And devising against you a device, Turn back, I pray you, each from his evil way And amen your ways and your doings. 12. And they have said, It is incurable, For after our own devices we do go, And each the stubbornness of his evil heart we do." (Jeremiah 18:5-12, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Jeremiah + Baruch (scribe) + LORD direct discourse
  • Audience: Judah on the eve of exile + exilic community
  • Location: Jerusalem → Egypt (after fall)
  • Time period: ministry c. 627-580 BC

Theological reading

Key words

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.