Jeremiah 18:4

4 And the vessel that he [was] making with the clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter, so {he made again} another vessel, as it was right in the eyes of the potter to make.

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 "Stand up and go down [to] the house of the potter, and there I will let you hear my words."
3 So I went down [to] the house of the potter and look, there he was doing work at the potter's wheels.
4 And the vessel that he [was] making with the clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter, so {he made again} another vessel, as it was right in the eyes of the potter to make.
5 And the word of Yahweh came to me, {saying},
6 "Like this potter, am I not able to do to you, O house of Israel?" {declares} Yahweh. "Look, like the clay in the hand of the potter, so [are] you in my hand, O house of Israel.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "he turned back and he made it"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.