Geremia 18:4

4 e il vaso che faceva si guastò, come succede all’argilla in man del vasaio, ed egli da capo ne fece un altro vaso come a lui parve bene di farlo.

Geremia 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.

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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.

Geremia 18:4 In-Context

2 "Lèvati, scendi in casa del vasaio, e quivi ti farò udire le mie parole".

3 Allora io scesi in casa del vasaio, ed ecco egli stava lavorando alla ruota;

4 e il vaso che faceva si guastò, come succede all’argilla in man del vasaio, ed egli da capo ne fece un altro vaso come a lui parve bene di farlo.

5 E la parola dell’Eterno mi fu rivolta in questi termini:

6 "O casa d’Israele, non posso io far di voi quello che fa questo vasaio? dice l’Eterno. Ecco, quel che l’argilla è in mano al vasaio, voi lo siete in mano mia, o casa d’Israele!