Jeremiah 18:1-10

The Potter and the Clay

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:

2 “Arise, and go down to ¹the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words. ”

3 So I went down to ²the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel.

4 And the vessel he was making of clay was ³spoiled in the potter’s hand, and ⁴he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

5 Then the word of the Lord came to me:

6 “O house of Israel, ⁵can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. ⁶Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

7 If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will ⁷pluck up and break down and destroy it,

8 and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, ⁸turns from its evil, ⁹I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it.

9 And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will ¹⁰build and plant it,

10 and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it.

Jeremiah 18:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 18

This chapter expresses the sovereign power of God ever his creatures, and his usual methods of dealing with them; it threatens destruction to the Jews for their idolatry; and is closed with the prophet's complaint of his persecutors, and with imprecations upon them. The sovereign power of God is expressed under the simile of a potter working in his shop, and making and marring vessels at pleasure, Jer 18:1-4; the application of which to God, and the house of Israel, is in Jer 18:5,6; and is illustrated by his usual dealings with kingdoms and nations; for though he is a sovereign Being, yet he acts both in a kind and equitable way; and as the potter changes his work, so he changes the dispensations of his providence, of which two instances are given; the one is, that having threatened ruin to a nation, upon their repentance and good behaviour he revokes the threatening, Jer 18:7,8; and the other is, that having made a declaration of good to a people, upon their sin and disobedience he recalls it, and punishes them for their wickedness, Jer 18:9,10; then follows a prophecy of the destruction of the Jews in particular, in which they are exhorted to repentance to prevent it; their obstinacy is observed; their folly in departing from God, and worshipping idols, is exposed; and they are threatened with utter ruin, Jer 18:11-17; the conspiracy and evil designs of the Jews against the prophet, their malice and ingratitude, are complained of by him, Jer 18:18-20; his imprecations upon them, and prayers for their destruction, are delivered out in Jer 18:21-23.

Cross References

• 1. 18:2 ch. 19:1; 1 Chr. 4:23; [Zech. 11:13]
• 2. 18:3 ch. 19:1; 1 Chr. 4:23; [Zech. 11:13]
• 3. 18:4 ch. 13:7
• 4. 18:4 [Rom. 9:21]
• 5. 18:6 Isa. 45:9; See Rom. 9:20-24
• 6. 18:6 Job 10:9; Isa. 64:8
• 7. 18:7 ch. 1:10; 42:10
• 8. 18:8 Ezek. 18:21
• 9. 18:8 ch. 26:3, 13, 19; Judg. 2:18; Jonah 3:10
• 10. 18:9 [See ver. 7 above]