Passage

Jeremiah 18

Book: Jeremiah · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying, 2. Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. 3. Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he was making a work on the wheels. 4. And 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 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. 13. Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Ask ye now among the nations, who hath heard such things; the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing. 14. Shall the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? or shall the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up? 15. 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 bypaths, in a way not cast up; 16. to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head. 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. 18. Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices 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 smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. 19. Give heed to me, O Jehovah, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me. 20. Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them. 21. 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 smitten of the sword in battle. 22. Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them; for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet. 23. Yet, Jehovah, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me; forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight; but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thou with them in the time of thine anger." (Jeremiah 18:1-23, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, 2. “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear my words.” 3. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was making a work on the wheels. 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. 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.’” 13. Therefore Yahweh says: “Ask now among the nations, who has heard such things. The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing. 14. 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. 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. 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 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. Then they said, “Come, and let us devise devices 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. Give heed to me, Yahweh, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me. 20. 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 deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives become childless, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, and their young men struck by the sword in battle. 22. 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 hidden snares for my feet. 23. Yet, Yahweh, you know all their counsel against me to kill me. Don’t 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." (Jeremiah 18:1-23, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2. Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. 3. Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. ^{wheels: or, frames, or, seats} 4. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. ^{of clay: or, was marred, as clay in the hand of the potter} ^{made it: Heb. returned and made, etc} 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. 13. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing. 14. Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken? ^{the snow: or, my fields for a rock, or for the snow of Lebanon? shall the running waters be forsaken for the strange cold waters?} 15. Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up; 16. To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head. 17. I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity. 18. Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices 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 smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. ^{with: or, for the tongue} 19. Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me. 20. Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them. 21. Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle. ^{pour: Heb. pour them out} 22. Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet. 23. Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger. ^{to slay: Heb. for death}" (Jeremiah 18:1-23, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying, 2. Rise, and thou hast gone down [to] the potter's house, and there I cause thee to hear My words; 3. and I go down [to] the potter's house, and lo, he is doing a work on the stones, 4. and marred is the vessel that he is making, as clay in the hand of the potter, and he hath turned and he maketh it another vessel, as it was right in the eyes of the potter to make. 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. 13. Therefore, thus said Jehovah: Ask, I pray you, among the nations, Who hath heard like these? A very horrible thing hath the virgin of Israel done. 14. Doth snow of Lebanon Cease from the rock of the field? Failed are the cold strange waters that flow? 15. But My people have forgotten Me, to a vain thing they make perfume, And they cause them to stumble in their ways, paths of old, To walk in paths, a way not raised up, 16. To make their land become a desolation, A hissing age-during, Every passer by it is astonished, And bemoaneth with his head. 17. As an east wind I scatter them before an enemy, The neck, and not the face, I shew them, In the day of their calamity.' 18. And they say, Come, And we devise against Jeremiah devices, For law doth not perish from the priest, Nor counsel from the wise, Nor the word from the prophet, Come, and we smite him with the tongue, And we do not attend to any of his words. 19. Give attention, O Jehovah, unto me, And hearken to the voice of those contending with me. 20. Is evil recompensed instead of good, That they have dug a pit for my soul? Remember my standing before Thee to speak good of them, To turn back Thy wrath from them. 21. Therefore, give up their sons to famine, And cause them to run on the sides of the sword, And their wives are bereaved and widows, And their men are slain by death, Their young men smitten by sword in battle, 22. A cry is heard from their houses, For Thou bringest against them suddenly a troop, For they dug a pit to capture me, And snares they have hidden for my feet. 23. And Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast known, All their counsel against me [is] for death, Thou dost not cover over their iniquity, Nor their sin from before Thee blottest out, And they are made to stumble before Thee, In the time of Thine anger work against them!" (Jeremiah 18:1-23, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

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Quoted in

Hardening Pharaohs Heart

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.