Jeremias 18:1-10

Na Casa do Oleiro

1 Esta é a palavra que veio a Jeremias da parte do SENHOR:

2 “Vá à casa do oleiro, e ali você ouvirá a minha mensagem”.

3 Então fui à casa do oleiro, e o vi trabalhando com a roda.

4 Mas o vaso de barro que ele estava formando estragou-se em suas mãos; e ele o refez, moldando outro vaso de acordo com a sua vontade.

5 Então o SENHOR dirigiu-me a palavra:

6 “Ó comunidade de Israel, será que eu não posso agir com vocês como fez o oleiro?”, pergunta o SENHOR. “Como barro nas mãos do oleiro, assim são vocês nas minhas mãos, ó comunidade de Israel.

7 Se em algum momento eu decretar que uma nação ou um reino seja arrancado, despedaçado e arruinado,

8 e se essa nação que eu adverti converter-se da sua perversidade, então eu me arrependerei e não trarei sobre ela a desgraça que eu tinha planejado.

9 E, se noutra ocasião eu decretar que uma nação ou um reino seja edificado e plantado,

10 e se ele fizer o que eu reprovo e não me obedecer, então me arrependerei do bem que eu pretendia fazer em favor dele.

Jeremias 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.