Chapter 18
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 something 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 the instant I 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 , turns from their evil , I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them .
9 At the instant I 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 don’t 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 plan 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 plans , and we will each follow 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 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 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 by it will 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 ! 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 Give heed to me , Yahweh , and listen to the voice of those who contend with me .
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 .
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 .
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 .
23 Yet , Yahweh , 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 .