Jeremiah is commanded to go to the potter’s house, where he will hear the LORD’s word.
Jeremiah 18:1-4
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.”
The clay vessel is spoiled, so the potter reshapes it into another vessel as seems best.
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.
The LORD interprets the sign: Israel is in his hand as clay is in the potter’s hand.
Jeremiah 18:5-10
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.
If the LORD announces uprooting and destruction, but the nation turns from evil, he may relent from disaster.
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.
If the LORD announces building and planting, but the nation does evil and refuses to obey, he may reconsider the intended good.
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 not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good with which I said I would benefit them.
The LORD tells Judah and Jerusalem to turn from evil ways and reform their ways and actions.
Jeremiah 18:11-12
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.” ’
The people answer that it is hopeless and they will follow their own plans and stubborn evil hearts.
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.’ ”
The LORD asks the nations whether they have ever heard such a horrible thing as Israel’s apostasy.
Jeremiah 18:13-17
13 Therefore Yahweh says: “Ask now among the nations, ‘Who has heard such things?’ The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.
Snow and cold flowing waters are used to expose the unnaturalness of Judah’s abandonment of the LORD.
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?
The people burn incense to worthless idols and stumble from ancient roads into bypaths.
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,
Judah’s land becomes an object of horror and hissing because of her sin.
16 to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing. Everyone who passes by it will be astonished, and shake his head.
Like an east wind, the LORD scatters Judah before the enemy and shows them his back in disaster.
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.
They plan to attack Jeremiah with their tongues and ignore his words, trusting that priest, wise man, and prophet will remain.
Jeremiah 18:18-23
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.”
Jeremiah asks the LORD to listen and remember that he interceded for them, though they dug a pit for him.
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.
Jeremiah asks that famine, sword, bereavement, and judgment come upon those who plot against him.
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.