1 T he word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying,

2 A rise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

“Go down to the pot-maker’s house, and there I will let you hear My words.”

3 T hen I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

So I went down to the pot-maker’s house, and saw him making one on the wheel.

4 A nd 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.

But the pot he was making of clay did not come out like he wanted it. So the pot-maker used the clay to make another pot that pleased him.

5 T hen the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

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.

“O people of Israel, can I not do with you as this potmaker has done?” says the Lord. “Like the clay in the pot-maker’s hand, so are you in My hand, O people of Israel.

7 A t what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;

If at any time I speak about a nation, to pull up, and to break down and to destroy,

8 I f that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

and if that nation I spoke against turns from its sin, then I will change My mind about the trouble I planned to bring upon it.

9 A nd at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

If at another time I speak about a nation, that I will build and plant it,

10 I f 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.

and if it does what is sinful in My eyes by not obeying My voice, then I will change My mind about the good I had promised to bring to it.

11 N ow 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.

So now speak to the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem. Tell them, ‘The Lord says, “See, I am making trouble for you and making a plan against you. So each of you turn from your sinful way. Change your ways and your works.”’

12 A nd 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.

But they will say, ‘There is no hope! For we are going to follow our own plans. Each of us will act in the strong-will of his sinful heart.’ The People Turn from the Lord

13 T herefore 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.

“So the Lord says, ‘Ask now among the nations: Who has heard such things? Pure Israel has done a very sinful thing.

14 W ill 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?

Does the snow of Lebanon ever leave its rocky mountains? Does the cold flowing water of other lands ever dry up?

15 B ecause 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;

But My people have forgotten Me. They burn special perfume to false gods of no worth. They have fallen in their ways, from the old paths, and have gone on side roads, not on the straight road.

16 T o make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.

They make their land a waste, a thing that is spoken against forever. Everyone who passes by it will be surprised and shake 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.

I will send them out everywhere like an east wind in front of those who hate them. I will show them My back and not My face in the day of their trouble.’” Plans to Kill Jeremiah

18 T hen 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.

They said, “Come and let us make plans against Jeremiah. For the Law is not going to be lost to the religious leader, or wise words to the wise man, or the Word of God to the man of God! Come and let us hurt him with our tongue, and let us not listen to any of his words.”

19 G ive heed to me, O Lord, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.

Think of me, O Lord, and listen to what those who hate me are saying!

20 S hall 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.

Should bad be given in return for good? Yet they have dug a deep hole for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good for them, to turn Your anger away from them.

21 T herefore 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.

So give their children over to hunger. Give them up to the power of the sword. Let their wives lose their children and husbands. Let their men be put to death. And let their young men be killed by the sword in battle.

22 L et 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.

May a cry be heard from their houses when You bring an army upon them by surprise. For they have dug a deep hole to take me, and have hidden traps for my feet.

23 Y et, 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.

Yet You, O Lord, know all their plans to kill me. Do not forgive their wrong-doing or cover their sin from Your eyes. Let them be taken down before You. Punish them in the time of Your anger.