Jeremías 18:1-10

1 El alfarero y el barro
El Señor
le dio otro mensaje a Jeremías:

2 «Baja al taller del alfarero y allí te hablaré».

3 Así que hice lo que me dijo y encontré al alfarero trabajando en el torno;

4 pero la vasija que estaba formando no resultó como él esperaba, así que la aplastó y comenzó de nuevo.

5 Después el Señor
me dio este mensaje:

6 «¡Oh, Israel! ¿No puedo hacer contigo lo mismo que hizo el alfarero con el barro? De la misma manera que el barro está en manos del alfarero, así estás en mis manos.

7 Si anuncio que voy a desarraigar, a derribar y a destruir a cierta nación o a cierto reino,

8 pero luego esa nación renuncia a sus malos caminos, no la destruiré como lo había planeado.

9 Y si anuncio que plantaré y edificaré a cierta nación o a cierto reino,

10 pero después esa nación hace lo malo y se niega a obedecerme, no la bendeciré como dije que lo haría.

Jeremías 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.