Jeremiah 18:4

4 Whenever a piece of pottery turned out imperfect, he would take the clay and make it into something else.

Jeremiah 18:4 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 18:4

And the vessel that he made of clay
Which is the matter the vessel is made of: was marred in the hand of the potter;
while he was working it; either it fell, as the Septuagint version renders it, out of his hands, or from the beam on which it was laid; or was spoiled by some means or other, so that it was not fit for the purpose he first intended it: or the words should be read, according to some copies, "and the vessel was marred which he made, as clay in the hand of the potter" F18; while it was clay; or moist, as Jarchi interprets it; and while it was in his hands, forming and fashioning it: so he made it again another vessel;
put it into another form and shape it would better serve: as seemed good to the potter to make [it];
just as he pleased, and as his judgment in his art directed him; he having power over the clay to mould it as he would, and as it best answered so to do.


FOOTNOTES:

F18 (ruwyh dyb rmxk hve awh rva ylkh txvnw) "sed corruptum est vas quod ille ficiens (erat) sicud lutum (solet) in manu figuli", Schmidt, Montanus. So Abarbinel; and thus it is read in the margin of our Bibles.

Jeremiah 18:4 In-Context

2 "Go down to the potter's house, where I will give you my message."
3 So I went there and saw the potter working at his wheel.
4 Whenever a piece of pottery turned out imperfect, he would take the clay and make it into something else.
5 Then the Lord said to me,
6 "Don't I have the right to do with you people of Israel what the potter did with the clay? You are in my hands just like clay in the potter's hands.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.