Jeremiah 18

1 The word which came to Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu) from יהוה, saying:

2 “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.”

3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

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 seemed good to the potter to make it.

5 Then the word of יהוה came to me, saying:

6 “O house of Yisrael, cannot I do with you as this potter?” saith יהוה. “Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in Mine hand, O house of Yisrael.

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 whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will regret of the disaster (raah) that I thought to do unto 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 does evil in My sight, that it obeys not My voice, then I will regret of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.

11 Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah (Yehudah), and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), saying, ‘Thus saith יהוה: “Behold, I frame disaster (raah) against you, and devise a plan against you. Return you 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 does the imagination of his evil heart.”

13 Therefore thus saith יהוה: “Ask you now among the nations, who hath heard such things; the virgin of Yisrael 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?

15 Because My people hath forgotten Me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;

16 To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.

17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their disaster.

18 Then said they, “Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu); for the Torah shall not perish from the priest (kohen), nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.”

19 Give heed to me, O יהוה, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me!

20 Shall evil be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before you to speak good for them, and to turn away Your wrath from them.

21 Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour 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.

22 Let a cry be heard from their houses, when you shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them; for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.

23 Yet, יהוה, You knowest all their counsel against me to slay me; forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from Your sight, but let them be overthrown before You; deal thus with them in the time of Your anger.