Jeremias 18:1-10

1 A palavra que veio do Senhor a Jeremias, dizendo:

2 Levanta-te, e desce � casa do oleiro, e lá te farei ouvir as minhas palavras.

3 Desci, pois, � casa do oleiro, e eis que ele estava ocupado com a sua obra sobre as rodas.

4 Como o vaso, que ele fazia de barro, se estragou na mão do oleiro, tornou a fazer dele outro vaso, conforme pareceu bem aos seus olhos fazer.

5 Então veio a mim a palavra do Senhor, dizendo:

6 Não poderei eu fazer de vós como fez este oleiro, ó casa de Israel? diz o Senhor. Eis que, como o barro na mão do oleiro, assim sois vós na minha mão, ó casa de Israel.

7 Se em qualquer tempo eu falar acerca duma nação, e acerca dum reino, para arrancar, para derribar e para destruir,

8 e se aquela nação, contra a qual falar, se converter da sua maldade, também eu me arrependerei do mal que intentava fazer-lhe.

9 E se em qualquer tempo eu falar acerca duma nação e acerca dum reino, para edificar e para plantar,

10 se ela fizer o mal diante dos meus olhos, não dando ouvidos � minha voz, então me arrependerei do bem que lhe intentava fazer.

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.