The word which
came
to Jeremiah
from the LORD
saying
,
"Arise and ago
down
to the potter's
house
, and there
I will announce
My words
to you."
Then I went down
to the potter's
house
, and there
he was, making
something
on the 1wheel
.
But the vessel that he was making
of clay
was spoiled
in the hand
of the potter
; so he remade
it into another
vessel
, as it pleased
the potter
to make
.
Then the word of the LORD
came
to me saying
,
"Can I not, O house
of Israel
, deal
with you as this
potter
does?" declares
the LORD
. "Behold
, like the aclay
in the potter's
hand
, so
are you in My hand
, O house
of Israel
.
"At one moment I might speak
concerning
a nation
or concerning
a kingdom
to auproot
, to pull
down
, or to destroy
it;
aif that nation against
which
I have spoken
turns
from its evil
, I will 1 brelent
concerning
the calamity
I planned
to bring
on it.
"Or at another moment I might speak
concerning
a nation
or concerning
a kingdom
to abuild
up or to plant
it;
if it does aevil
in My sight
by not obeying
My voice
, then I will 1 bthink
better
of the good
with which
I had promised
to 2bless
it.
"So now then, speak
to the men
of Judah
and against
the inhabitants
of Jerusalem
saying
, `Thus
says
the LORD
, "Behold
, I am afashioning
calamity
against
you and devising
a plan
against
you. Oh
bturn
back
, each
of you from his evil
way
, and 1reform
your ways
and your deeds
."'
"But athey will say, `It's hopeless
! For we are going
to follow
our own plans
, and each
of us will act
according to the bstubbornness
of his evil
heart
.'
"Therefore thus
says
the LORD
, ` aAsk
now
among the nations
, Who
ever heard
the like of 1this
? The bvirgin
of Israel
Has done
a most
cappalling
thing
.
`Does the snow of Lebanon
forsake
the rock
of the open country
? Or
is the cold
flowing
water
from a foreign
land ever snatched
away
?
`For aMy people have forgotten
Me, bThey burn
incense
1to worthless
gods And they 2have stumbled
3from their ways
, 3From the cancient
paths
, To walk
in bypaths
, Not on a dhighway
,
To make their land
a adesolation
, An object of perpetual
bhissing
; Everyone
who passes
by it will be astonished
And cshake
his head
.
`Like an aeast wind
I will bscatter
them Before
the enemy
; I will 1show
them cMy back
and not My face
dIn the day
of their calamity
.' "
Then they said, "Come
and let us adevise
plans
against
Jeremiah
. Surely
the blaw
is not going to be lost
to the priest
, nor
ccounsel
to the sage
, nor
the divine dword
to the prophet
! Come
on and let us estrike
at him with our tongue
, and let us fgive
no
heed
to any
of his words
."
Do give heed
to me, O LORD
, And listen
to 1what
my opponents
are saying
!
aShould good be repaid
with evil
? For they have bdug
a pit
for 1me. Remember
how I cstood
before
You To speak
good
on their behalf
, So as to turn
away
Your wrath
from them.
Therefore, agive
their children
over to famine
And deliver
them up to the 1power
of the sword
; And let their wives
become
bchildless
and cwidowed
. Let their men
also be smitten
to death
, Their dyoung
men
struck
down
by the sword
in battle
.
May an aoutcry be heard
from their houses
, When
You suddenly
bring
raiders
upon them; bFor they have dug
a pit
to capture
me And chidden
snares
for my feet
.
Yet You, O LORD, know
All
their 1deadly
designs
against
me; aDo not 2forgive
their iniquity
Or blot
out their sin
from Your sight
. But may they be 3 boverthrown
before
You; Deal
with them in the ctime
of Your anger
!