Jeremiah 18:1-10

The Potter and the Clay

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 "Arise, and go down to q the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words." 3 So I went down to r the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4 And the vessel he was making of clay was s spoiled in the potter's hand, and t he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 "O house of Israel, u can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. v Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will w pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8 and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, x turns from its evil, y I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. 9 And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will w build and plant it, 10 and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it.

  1. Cross References
    Jeremiah 19:1
    Thus says the Lord, "Go, buy a potter's earthenware flask, and take some of the elders of the people and some of the elders of the priests.
    1 Chronicles 4:23
    These were the potters who were inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah. They lived there in the king's service.
    Zechariah 11:13
    Then the Lord said to me, "Throw it to the potter" - the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.
  2. Cross References
    Jeremiah 19:1
    Thus says the Lord, "Go, buy a potter's earthenware flask, and take some of the elders of the people and some of the elders of the priests.
    1 Chronicles 4:23
    These were the potters who were inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah. They lived there in the king's service.
    Zechariah 11:13
    Then the Lord said to me, "Throw it to the potter" - the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.
  3. Cross References
    Jeremiah 13:7
    Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and I took the loincloth from the place where I had hidden it. And behold, the loincloth was spoiled; it was good for nothing.
  4. Cross References
    Romans 9:21
    Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
  5. Cross References
    Isaiah 45:9
    Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' or 'Your work has no handles'?
    Romans 9:20 - 24
    But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?
  6. Cross References
    Job 10:9
    Remember that you have made me like clay; and will you return me to the dust?
    Isaiah 64:8
    But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.
  7. Cross References
    Jeremiah 1:10
    See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.
    Jeremiah 42:10
    If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you.
  8. Cross References
    Ezekiel 18:21
    But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
  9. Cross References
    Jeremiah 26:3
    It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them because of their evil deeds.
    Jeremiah 26:13
    Now therefore mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you.
    Jeremiah 26:19
    Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and entreat the favor of the Lord, and did not the Lord relent of the disaster that he had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great disaster upon ourselves.
    Judges 2:18
    Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them.
    Jonah 3:10
    When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
  10. Cross References
    Jeremiah 18:7
    If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.