Hebrew Names Version HNV
The Message Bible MSG
1 The word which came to Yirmeyahu from the LORD, saying,
1
God told Jeremiah,
2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear my words.
2
"Up on your feet! Go to the potter's house. When you get there, I'll tell you what I have to say."
3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he was making a work on the wheels.
3
So I went to the potter's house, and sure enough, the potter was there, working away at his wheel.
4 When the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
4
Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
5
Then God's Message came to me:
6 House of Yisra'el, can't I do with you as this potter? says the LORD. Behold, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, house of Yisra'el.
6
"Can't I do just as this potter does, people of Israel?" God's Decree! "Watch this potter. In the same way that this potter works his clay, I work on you, people of Israel.
7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it;
7
At any moment I may decide to pull up a people or a country by the roots and get rid of them.
8 if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.
8
But if they repent of their wicked lives, I will think twice and start over with them.
9 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
9
At another time I might decide to plant a people or country,
10 if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good, with which I said I would benefit them.
10
but if they don't cooperate and won't listen to me, I will think again and give up on the plans I had for them.
11 Now therefore, speak to the men of Yehudah, and to the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, saying, Thus says the LORD: Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return you now everyone from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.
11
"So, tell the people of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem my Message: 'Danger! I'm shaping doom against you, laying plans against you. Turn back from your doomed way of life. Straighten out your lives.'
12 But they say, It is in vain; for we will walk after our own devices, and we will do everyone after the stubbornness of his evil heart.
12
"But they'll just say, 'Why should we? What's the point? We'll live just the way we've always lived, doom or no doom.'"
13 Therefore thus says the LORD: Ask you now among the nations, who has heard such things; the virgin of Yisra'el has done a very horrible thing.
13
God's Message: "Ask around. Survey the godless nations. Has anyone heard the likes of this? Virgin Israel has become a slut!
14 Shall the snow of Levanon fail from the rock of the field? [or] shall the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?
14
Does snow disappear from the Lebanon peaks? Do alpine streams run dry?
15 For my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to false [gods]; and they have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in byways, in a way not built up;
15
But my people have left me to worship the Big Lie. They've gotten off the track, the old, well-worn trail, And now bushwhack through underbrush in a tangle of roots and vines.
16 to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; everyone who passes thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.
16
Their land's going to end up a mess - a fool's memorial to be spit on. Travelers passing through will shake their heads in disbelief.
17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.
17
I'll scatter my people before their enemies, like autumn leaves in a high wind. On their day of doom, they'll stare at my back as I walk away, catching not so much as a glimpse of my face."
18 Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Yirmeyahu; for the law shall not perish from the Kohen, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
18
Some of the people said, "Come on, let's cook up a plot against Jeremiah. We'll still have the priests to teach us the law, wise counselors to give us advice, and prophets to tell us what God has to say. Come on, let's discredit him so we don't have to put up with him any longer."
19 Give heed to me, LORD, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me.
19
And I said to God: "God, listen to me! Just listen to what my enemies are saying.
20 Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
20
Should I get paid evil for good? That's what they're doing. They've made plans to kill me! Remember all the times I stood up for them before you, speaking up for them, trying to soften your anger?
21 Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, [and] their young men struck of the sword in battle.
21
But enough! Let their children starve! Let them be massacred in battle! Let their wives be childless and widowed, their friends die and their proud young men be killed.
22 Let a cry be heard from their houses, when you shall bring a troop suddenly on them; for they have dug a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.
22
Let cries of panic sound from their homes as you surprise them with war parties! They're all set to lynch me. The noose is practically around my neck!
23 Yet, LORD, you know all their counsel against me to kill me; don't forgive their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from your sight; but let them be overthrown before you; deal you with them in the time of your anger.
23
But you know all this, God. You know they're determined to kill me. Don't whitewash their crimes, don't overlook a single sin! Round the bunch of them up before you. Strike while the iron of your anger is hot!"
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.