1Under the type of a potter is shewed God's absolute power in disposing of nations. 11Judah is threatened with judgments for her unexampled revolt. 18Jeremiah prayeth against them that devised his death.
1THE word awhich came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
a ch. 1.4; 2.1; 7.1; 11.1; 14.1.
2bArise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
b He. 1.1. ch. 19.1,2; 13.1; 1.11,13. Is. 20.2. Eze. 4; 5; 12. Am. 7.7,8. 1Ki. 19.7-15.
3Then cI went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the 1wheels.
1Or, frames, or, seats.
c 1Sa. 15.22. Mat. 16.24. Ga. 1.16.
4And dthe vessel 2that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he 3made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
2Or, was marred as the clay.
3Heb. returned and made.
d v.7-10. Mat. 8.11,12. Ro. 11.15; 9.21. Ps. 115.3. Da. 4.34,35.
5Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
6O house of Israel, ecannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
e Is. 45.9; 64.8. Ro. 9.20-23; 11.36. Ac. 17.28. Da. 4.34,35. Ps. 115.3; 135.6. Mat. 20.15. v.4.
7At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to fpluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it ;
f ch. 1.10; 12.14; 25.9. Am. 9.8.
8If gthat nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I hwill repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
g Is. 1.16-18; 55.7. Ho. 14.1-4. Eze. 18.21; 33.11,13. Lu. 13.3,5. Is. 55.7. 2Ch. 12.7. Le. 26.40-45. De. 30.1-10. 1Ki. 8.33-53. h Ge. 6.6. 1Sa. 15.11. Jonah 3.10. Ex. 32.12. De. 32.26. Ps. 135.14; 106.45; 90.13. ch. 26.3,13,19; 42.10; 7.3-7. Am. 7.3,6. Nu. 23.19. 1Sa. 15.29. Mal. 3.6.
9And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, ito build and to plant it ;
i ch. 1.10; 12.15; 30.18; 31.4-17,28,38-40; 32.37. Am. 9.11-15.
10If jit do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
j Le. 26.14-39. De. 28.15-68. Is. 1.20; 3.11. ch. 26.4-6. Eze. 3.20; 18.4,24.
11¶Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, kI *frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: lreturn ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.
*frame-prepare.
k Is. 45.7. Am. 3.6. Mi. 2.3. Le. 26.16-39. De. 28.15-68; 32.21-27. l 2Ki. 17.13. ch. 7.3; 25.5; 35.15; 26.3,13. Eze. 18.30-32; 33.11. Is. 1.16-19.
12And they said, mThere is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.
m ch. 2.25; 44.17. 2Ki. 6.33. De. 29.19. Eze. 37.11.
13Therefore thus saith the LORD; nAsk ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the ovirgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.
n ch. 2.10-13,20,28; 3.1,2,9. 1Co. 5.1. Eze. 16; 22; 23. Is. 59.1-16. o Ex. 19.5,6. ch. 31.4. La. 1.15; 2.13. ch. 5.30. Da. 9.
14pWill a man leave 4the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?
4Or, my fields for a rock, or for the snow of Lebanon? shall the running waters be forsaken for the strange cold waters?
p Jn. 6.68.
15Because qmy people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to rvanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the sancient paths, tto walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
q ch. 2.13,18,20,28,32; 17.13; 3.1,2,9,20,21. r Is. 41.29. ch. 10.15; 14.22; 16.19. Jonah 2.8. s ch. 6.16; 2.2,3. t Is. 53.6. ch. 7.24,31; 19.5.
16To make their land udesolate, and a perpetual hissing; vevery one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
u ch. 19.8; 25.9; 49.13,17; 50.13. De. 29.22,23. 1Ki. 9.7,8. Mi. 6.16. La. 2.15,16. v De. 28.59.
17I wwill scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I xwill shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.
w De. 28.25,64. Is. 27.8. Eze. 17.10; 19.12. Ps. 48.7. Ho. 13.15. ch. 13.14,24. x De. 31.17. Ju. 10.13,14. Is. 57.17. ch. 2.27. Pr. 1.25,26.
18¶Then said they, yCome, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for zthe law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. aCome, and let us smite him 5with the tongue, and let us not bgive heed to any of his words.
5Or, for.
y Ac. 7.51,54. 2Ti. 4.3. ch. 11.19; 3.8,9. Am. 5.12. z Le. 10.11. Mal. 2.7. Jn. 7.48,49. ch. 2.8; 5.13,31; 6.13; 8.8. Mat. 23.34. a ch. 26.11. Ge. 37.20. b ch. 5.12,13; 43.2; 44.17.
19cGive heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.
c Ps. 64.1-4; 130.1,2; 12.5; 25.18,19; 35.1,26. ch. 11.20; 20.12. v.20-23.
20dShall evil be recompensed for good? for they ehave digged a pit for my soul. Remember fthat I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.
d Ps. 109.4,5; 35.11-16. Pr. 17.13. e Ps. 35.7; 57.6. v.22. ch. 2.6. f ch. 15.1; 14.11; 11.14; 7.16. Ps. 106.23. Eze. 22.30.
21Therefore gdeliver up their children to the famine, and 6pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.
6Heb. pour them out.
g Ps. 109.9-15. ch. 11.20; 20.6,12; 15.7,8; 16.4; 12.3.
22hLet a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: ifor they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.
h Is. 22.1,4,5. ch. 25.16,34,36; 47.2; 48.3-5. 2Ki. 24.2. Hab. 3.16. i v.20. Ps. 7.14-16; 10.8-15; 17.9-13; 28.3,4; 56.5-7; 64.5.
23Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me 7to slay me : jforgive knot their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.
7Heb. for death. Ps. 37.32,33.
j Ne. 4.4,5. Ps. 59.5; 78.38; 109.14,15. Is. 2.9; 3.11. Ps. 69.22-28. k ch. 11.20; 15.15.