4
And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make [it].
5
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
6
O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay [is] in the potter's hand, so [are] ye in my hand, O house of Israel.
7
[At what] instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy [it];
8
If that nation against which I have pronounced, shall turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.
9
And [at what] instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant [it];
10
If it shall do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, with which I said I would benefit them.
11
Now therefore come, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.
12
And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.
13
Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.
14
Will [a man] leave the snow of Lebanon [which cometh] from the rock of the field? [or] shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?