Jeremiah 18:1–12
The potter's house: a vessel spoiled and remade
"Arise, and go down to the potter's house… Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels (ovnayim, "the two stones"). 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." The lesson: "Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel" (18:1–6). Then comes a principle that governs prophecy: if God announces judgment on a nation and it turns, he will relent; if he promises good and it turns to evil, he will relent of the good (vv. 7–10). Judah replies, "There is no hope" (v. 12). The clay is still soft; the vessel can be remade.
Stable text: no manuscript differences in meaning
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Every witness, in order
late 7th–6th century BC (by section; debated)
The words as first spoken or written
No original survives, and Jeremiah circulated in at least two ancient Hebrew editions: a shorter one behind the Old Greek and the longer one preserved as the Masoretic Text. The oldest copies are six fragmentary Qumran manuscripts (2QJer, 4QJer-a to 4QJer-e), from about 200 BC to the 1st century AD.
1st century AD; edition 2010s
Romans 9:20–21 (Greek New Testament; library: Statistical Restoration text)
How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: the Greek New Testament editions in the library (Textus Receptus, Byzantine Textform, Statistical Restoration).
Ὦ ἄνθρωπε, μενοῦνγε σὺ τίς εἶ, ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ ˚Θεῷ; Μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα, τῷ πλάσαντι, “Τί με ἐποίησας οὕτως;” Ἢ οὐκ ἔχει ἐξουσίαν ὁ κεραμεὺς τοῦ πηλοῦ, ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ φυράματος ποιῆσαι ὃ μὲν εἰς τιμὴν σκεῦος, ὃ δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν;
Who are you, a human being, to answer back to God? Will what is moulded say to its moulder, Why did you make me like this? Does the potter not have authority over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honour and another for dishonour?
Paul's use of the potter image. Allusion, not a quotation. KJV: "Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?"
Jerome c. AD 400, from Hebrew; edition 1592
Latin Vulgate (Clementine)
How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Clementine Vulgate (1592 edition).
Verbum quod factum est ad Jeremiam a Domino, dicens: Surge, et descende in domum figuli, et ibi audies verba mea. Et descendi in domum figuli, et ecce ipse faciebat opus super rotam. Et dissipatum est vas quod ipse faciebat e luto manibus suis: conversusque fecit illud vas alterum, sicut placuerat in oculis ejus ut faceret. Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens: Numquid sicut figulus iste, non potero vobis facere, domus Israël? ait Dominus: ecce sicut lutum in manu figuli, sic vos in manu mea, domus Israël. Repente loquar adversum gentem et adversus regnum, ut eradicem, et destruam, et disperdam illud: si pœnitentiam egerit gens illa a malo suo quod locutus sum adversus eam, agam et ego pœnitentiam super malo quod cogitavi ut facerem ei. Et subito loquar de gente et de regno, ut ædificem et plantem illud. Si fecerit malum in oculis meis, ut non audiat vocem meam, pœnitentiam agam super bono quod locutus sum ut facerem ei. Nunc ergo dic viro Juda, et habitatoribus Jerusalem, dicens: Hæc dicit Dominus: Ecce ego fingo contra vos malum, et cogito contra vos cogitationem: revertatur unusquisque a via sua mala, et dirigite vias vestras et studia vestra. Qui dixerunt: Desperavimus: post cogitationes enim nostras ibimus, et unusquisque pravitatem cordis sui mali faciemus.
Latin numbering: Jeremiah 18:1–12. Jerome translated Jeremiah from Hebrew (c. AD 400).
AD 1008
Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)
How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, a digital transcription of the Leningrad Codex.
הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֣ה אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ ק֥וּם וְיָרַדְתָּ֖ בֵּ֣ית הַיּוֹצֵ֑ר וְשָׁ֖מָּה אַשְׁמִֽיעֲךָ֥ אֶת־דְּבָרָֽי׃ וָאֵרֵ֖ד בֵּ֣ית הַיּוֹצֵ֑ר והנהו וְהִנֵּה־ה֛וּא עֹשֶׂ֥ה מְלָאכָ֖ה עַל־הָאָבְנָֽיִם׃ וְנִשְׁחַ֣ת הַכְּלִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר ה֥וּא עֹשֶׂ֛ה בַּחֹ֖מֶר בְּיַ֣ד הַיּוֹצֵ֑ר וְשָׁ֗ב וַֽיַּעֲשֵׂ֙הוּ֙ כְּלִ֣י אַחֵ֔ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר יָשַׁ֛ר בְּעֵינֵ֥י הַיּוֹצֵ֖ר לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֽוֹר׃ הֲכַיּוֹצֵ֨ר הַזֶּ֜ה לֹא־אוּכַ֨ל לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לָכֶ֛ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֤ה כַחֹ֙מֶר֙ בְּיַ֣ד הַיּוֹצֵ֔ר כֵּן־אַתֶּ֥ם בְּיָדִ֖י בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ רֶ֣גַע אֲדַבֵּ֔ר עַל־גּ֖וֹי וְעַל־מַמְלָכָ֑ה לִנְת֥וֹשׁ וְלִנְת֖וֹץ וּֽלְהַאֲבִֽיד׃ וְשָׁב֙ הַגּ֣וֹי הַה֔וּא מֵרָ֣עָת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי עָלָ֑יו וְנִֽחַמְתִּי֙ עַל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָשַׁ֖בְתִּי לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לֽוֹ׃ וְרֶ֣גַע אֲדַבֵּ֔ר עַל־גּ֖וֹי וְעַל־מַמְלָכָ֑ה לִבְנֹ֖ת וְלִנְטֹֽעַ׃ וְעָשָׂ֤ה הרעה הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינַ֔י לְבִלְתִּ֖י שְׁמֹ֣עַ בְּקוֹלִ֑י וְנִֽחַמְתִּי֙ עַל־הַטּוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָמַ֖רְתִּי לְהֵיטִ֥יב אוֹתֽוֹ׃ וְעַתָּ֡ה אֱמָר־נָ֣א אֶל־אִישׁ־יְהוּדָה֩ וְעַל־יוֹשְׁבֵ֨י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י יוֹצֵ֤ר עֲלֵיכֶם֙ רָעָ֔ה וְחֹשֵׁ֥ב עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם מַֽחֲשָׁבָ֑ה שׁ֣וּבוּ נָ֗א אִ֚ישׁ מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ הָֽרָעָ֔ה וְהֵיטִ֥יבוּ דַרְכֵיכֶ֖ם וּמַעַלְלֵיכֶֽם׃ וְאָמְר֖וּ נוֹאָ֑שׁ כִּֽי־אַחֲרֵ֤י מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ נֵלֵ֔ךְ וְאִ֛ישׁ שְׁרִר֥וּת לִבּֽוֹ־הָרָ֖ע נַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
Can I not do with you as this potter has done, house of Israel? declares the LORD. Behold, like clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel (v. 6)
Hebrew numbering: Jeremiah 18:1–12.
1611
King James Bible
How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: King James Version (1769 text).
The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. 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. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 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. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; 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. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; 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. 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. 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.
Greek translation c. 2nd century BC; French 1872
Greek Jeremiah (library: Giguet's French)
How the site knows this: Known here only through a translation.
Parole du Seigneur qui est venue à Jérémie, disant: Lève-toi et entre dans la maison d’un potier, et là tu entendras mes paroles. Et je descendis dans la maison d’un potier, et voilà qu’il était à l’ouvrage sur sa roue. Et le vase qu’il faisait se rompit dans ses mains, et il fit aussitôt un autre vase, comme il lui plut de le faire. Et la parole du Seigneur vint à moi, disant: Maison d’Israël, ne puis-je faire avec vous comme ce potier? Voilà que vous êtes dans mes mains comme l’argile du potier. Je prononcerai mon souverain jugement contre un peuple ou un royaume, pour le perdre et le détruire. Mais si cette nation se détourne de tous ses péchés, moi aussi, je me repentirai du mal que je songeais à lui faire; Et je prononcerai mon jugement contre un peuple ou un royaume, pour le réédifier et le planter. Mais s’ils font le mal devant moi, en désobéissant à ma voix, je me repentirai du bien que j’avais promis de leur faire. Et maintenant j’ai dit aux hommes de Juda et aux habitants de Jérusalem: Voilà que je forge pour vous des maux, et mes pensées sont contre vous; que chacun se détourne de sa mauvaise voie, et faites des œuvres meilleures. Et ils ont répondu Nous nous conduirons en hommes, et nous irons à ce qui nous fait dévier; et chacun de nous fera ce qui est agréable à son cœur perverti.
Greek (digital file) numbering: Jeremiah 18:1–12. Giguet's 1872 French of a printed Greek text (D check only), in the Greek book's own order and verse numbering; a C check needs Ziegler's Göttingen Jeremiah or Rahlfs–Hanhart.
What changed, and why
Classification: stable text in the library's witnesses (the Greek has "broke" for "was spoiled" in v. 4).
Ovnayim, "the two stones": the potter's wheel of the Iron Age, a lower stone pivot and an upper wheel; the same word is used of a birthstool in Exodus 1:16.
Verses 7–10 make many prophetic threats and promises explicitly conditional (compare Jonah 3:10). See "The Potter and the Clay."
Romans 9:20–21 uses the image of potter and clay for God's freedom in election; Isaiah 29:16; 45:9; 64:8 also use it. Paul's argument is his own (see the investigation).
What the evidence shows
- Jeremiah 18:7–10 states that announced judgments and blessings depend on a nation's response.
- Ovnayim refers to a two-stone potter's wheel.
- Romans 9:21 quotes Jeremiah 18. Paul's wording is closer to Isaiah 29:16; 45:9 and Wisdom 15:7; it is an allusion to a shared image, not a quotation of Jeremiah.
Sources
Related lessons
- Jeremiah 18: The Potter's House →"Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words." Jeremiah watches a potter at "the wheels"; "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" (18:1–4). "O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter?… as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand" (vv. 5–6). If God announces that he will uproot a nation and it turns from evil, he will relent; if he promises to build a nation and it does evil, he will relent of the good (vv. 7–10). So Judah should turn; they answer, "There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices" (vv. 11–12). Even the snow of Lebanon does not leave its rock, but my people have forgotten me and left the ancient paths (vv. 13–17). Then the plotters: "Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah… let us smite him with the tongue" (v. 18), and the fifth confession, Jeremiah's harshest prayer for revenge: "deliver up their children to the famine… forgive not their iniquity" (vv. 19–23).
- Investigation: The Potter and the Clay →Jeremiah's two potter scenes stand next to each other. In chapter 18 he goes down to a potter's workshop, watches a vessel spoil on the wheel, and sees the potter rework the same clay into another shape: God can reshape a nation, and his threats and promises depend on its response. In chapter 19 he buys a finished, fired flask, carries it to the Valley of Ben-Hinnom where children were burned, and smashes it: "as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again." This investigation looks at the ancient craft, the difference between wet clay and fired pottery, the valley where the second scene took place, and the use of the potter image in Isaiah, Jewish writings and Romans 9, where Paul makes his own argument.