Study Desk

At the Potter's House

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord :

"Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message."

So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel.

But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

Then the word of the Lord came to me.

He said, "Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?" declares the Lord . "Like clay^(a) in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand,^(b) Israel.

If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted,^(c) torn down and destroyed,

and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent^(d) and not inflict on it the disaster^(e) I had planned.

And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built^(f) up and planted,

and if it does evil^(g) in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider^(h) the good I had intended to do for it.⁽ⁱ⁾

"Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look! I am preparing a disaster^(j) for you and devising a plan^(k) against you. So turn^(l) from your evil ways,^(m) each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.'⁽ⁿ⁾

But they will reply, ‘It's no use.^(o) We will continue with our own plans; we will all follow the stubbornness of our evil hearts.^(p)'"

Therefore this is what the Lord says: "Inquire among the nations: Who has ever heard anything like this?^(q) A most horrible^(r) thing has been done by Virgin^(s) Israel.

Does the snow of Lebanon ever vanish from its rocky slopes? Do its cool waters from distant sources ever stop flowing?^[a]

Yet my people have forgotten^(t) me; they burn incense^(u) to worthless idols,^(v) which made them stumble^(w) in their ways, in the ancient paths.^(x) They made them walk in byways, on roads not built up.^(y)

Their land will be an object of horror^(z) and of lasting scorn;^(aa) all who pass by will be appalled^(ab) and will shake their heads.^(ac)

Like a wind^(ad) from the east, I will scatter them before their enemies; I will show them my back and not my face^(ae) in the day of their disaster."

They said, "Come, let's make plans^(af) against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest^(ag) will not cease, nor will counsel from the wise,^(ah) nor the word from the prophets.^(ai) So come, let's attack him with our tongues^(aj) and pay no attention to anything he says."

Listen to me, Lord ; hear what my accusers^(ak) are saying!

Should good be repaid with evil?^(al) Yet they have dug a pit^(am) for me. Remember that I stood^(an) before you and spoke in their behalf^(ao) to turn your wrath away from them.

So give their children over to famine;^(ap) hand them over to the power of the sword.^(aq) Let their wives be made childless and widows;^(ar) let their men be put to death, their young men^(as) slain by the sword in battle.

Let a cry^(at) be heard from their houses when you suddenly bring invaders against them, for they have dug a pit^(au) to capture me and have hidden snares^(av) for my feet.

But you, Lord , know all their plots to kill^(aw) me. Do not forgive^(ax) their crimes or blot out their sins from your sight. Let them be overthrown before you; deal with them in the time of your anger.^(ay)

This is what the Lord says: "Go and buy a clay jar from a potter.^(a) Take along some of the elders^(b) of the people and of the priests

and go out to the Valley of Ben Hinnom,^(c) near the entrance of the Potsherd Gate. There proclaim the words I tell you,

and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord , you kings^(d) of Judah and people of Jerusalem. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Listen! I am going to bring a disaster^(e) on this place that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle.^(f)

For they have forsaken^(g) me and made this a place of foreign gods^(h); they have burned incense⁽ⁱ⁾ in it to gods that neither they nor their ancestors nor the kings of Judah ever knew, and they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.^(j)

They have built the high places of Baal to burn their children^(k) in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind.^(l)

So beware, the days are coming, declares the Lord , when people will no longer call this place Topheth^(m) or the Valley of Ben Hinnom,⁽ⁿ⁾ but the Valley of Slaughter.^(o)

"‘In this place I will ruin^[a] the plans^(p) of Judah and Jerusalem. I will make them fall by the sword before their enemies,^(q) at the hands of those who want to kill them, and I will give their carcasses^(r) as food^(s) to the birds and the wild animals.

I will devastate this city and make it an object of horror and scorn;^(t) all who pass by will be appalled^(u) and will scoff because of all its wounds.^(v)

I will make them eat^(w) the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another's flesh because their enemies^(x) will press the siege so hard against them to destroy them.'

"Then break the jar^(y) while those who go with you are watching,

and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I will smash^(z) this nation and this city just as this potter's jar is smashed and cannot be repaired. They will bury^(aa) the dead in Topheth until there is no more room.

This is what I will do to this place and to those who live here, declares the Lord . I will make this city like Topheth.

The houses^(ab) in Jerusalem and those of the kings of Judah will be defiled^(ac) like this place, Topheth—all the houses where they burned incense on the roofs^(ad) to all the starry hosts^(ae) and poured out drink offerings^(af) to other gods.'"

Jeremiah then returned from Topheth, where the Lord had sent him to prophesy, and stood in the court^(ag) of the Lord 's temple and said to all the people,

"This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on this city and all the villages around it every disaster^(ah) I pronounced against them, because they were stiff-necked^(ai) and would not listen^(aj) to my words.'"

Jeremiah and Pashhur

When the priest Pashhur son of Immer,^(a) the official^(b) in charge of the temple of the Lord , heard Jeremiah prophesying these things,

he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten^(c) and put in the stocks^(d) at the Upper Gate of Benjamin^(e) at the Lord 's temple.

The next day, when Pashhur released him from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, "The Lord 's name^(f) for you is not Pashhur, but Terror on Every Side.^(g)

For this is what the Lord says: ‘I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; with your own eyes^(h) you will see them fall by the sword of their enemies. I will give⁽ⁱ⁾ all Judah into the hands of the king of Babylon, who will carry^(j) them away to Babylon or put them to the sword.

I will deliver all the wealth^(k) of this city into the hands of their enemies—all its products, all its valuables and all the treasures of the kings of Judah. They will take it away^(l) as plunder and carry it off to Babylon.

And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house will go into exile to Babylon. There you will die and be buried, you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied^(m) lies.'"

You deceived^[a](n) me, Lord , and I was deceived^[b]; you overpowered^(o) me and prevailed. I am ridiculed^(p) all day long; everyone mocks^(q) me.

Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction.^(r) So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach^(s) all day long.

But if I say, "I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,"^(t) his word is in my heart like a fire,^(u) a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in;^(v) indeed, I cannot.

I hear many whispering, "Terror^(w) on every side! Denounce^(x) him! Let's denounce him!" All my friends^(y) are waiting for me to slip,^(z) saying, "Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail^(aa) over him and take our revenge^(ab) on him."

But the Lord ^(ac) is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors^(ad) will stumble and not prevail.^(ae) They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;^(af) their dishonor will never be forgotten.

Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind,^(ag) let me see your vengeance^(ah) on them, for to you I have committed^(ai) my cause.

Sing^(aj) to the Lord ! Give praise to the Lord ! He rescues^(ak) the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked.^(al)

Cursed be the day I was born!^(am) May the day my mother bore me not be blessed!

Cursed be the man who brought my father the news, who made him very glad, saying, "A child is born to you—a son!"

May that man be like the towns^(an) the Lord overthrew without pity. May he hear wailing^(ao) in the morning, a battle cry at noon.

For he did not kill me in the womb,^(ap) with my mother as my grave, her womb enlarged forever.

Why did I ever come out of the womb^(aq) to see trouble^(ar) and sorrow and to end my days in shame?^(as)

God Rejects Zedekiah's Request

The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah^(a) sent to him Pashhur^(b) son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah^(c) son of Maaseiah. They said:

"Inquire^(d) now of the Lord for us because Nebuchadnezzar^[a](e) king of Babylon^(f) is attacking us. Perhaps the Lord will perform wonders^(g) for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us."

But Jeremiah answered them, "Tell Zedekiah,

‘This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: I am about to turn^(h) against you the weapons of war that are in your hands, which you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians^[b] who are outside the wall besieging⁽ⁱ⁾ you. And I will gather them inside this city.

I myself will fight^(j) against you with an outstretched hand^(k) and a mighty arm^(l) in furious anger and in great wrath.

I will strike^(m) down those who live in this city—both man and beast—and they will die of a terrible plague.⁽ⁿ⁾

After that, declares the Lord , I will give Zedekiah^(o) king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague,^(p) sword and famine, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon^(q) and to their enemies^(r) who want to kill them.^(s) He will put them to the sword;^(t) he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.'^(u)

"Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life^(v) and the way of death.

Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague.^(w) But whoever goes out and surrenders^(x) to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives.^(y)

I have determined to do this city harm^(z) and not good, declares the Lord . It will be given into the hands^(aa) of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.'^(ab)

"Moreover, say to the royal house^(ac) of Judah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord .

This is what the Lord says to you, house of David: "‘Administer justice^(ad) every morning; rescue from the hand of the oppressor^(ae) the one who has been robbed, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire^(af) because of the evil^(ag) you have done— burn with no one to quench^(ah) it.

I am against^(ai) you, Jerusalem, you who live above this valley^(aj) on the rocky plateau, declares the Lord — you who say, "Who can come against us? Who can enter our refuge?"^(ak)

I will punish you as your deeds^(al) deserve, declares the Lord . I will kindle a fire^(am) in your forests^(an) that will consume everything around you.'"

Judgment Against Wicked Kings

This is what the Lord says: "Go down to the palace of the king^(a) of Judah and proclaim this message there:

‘Hear^(b) the word of the Lord to you, king of Judah, you who sit on David's throne^(c)—you, your officials and your people who come through these gates.^(d)

This is what the Lord says: Do what is just^(e) and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor^(f) the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow,^(g) and do not shed innocent blood^(h) in this place.

For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings⁽ⁱ⁾ who sit on David's throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people.

But if you do not obey^(j) these commands, declares the Lord , I swear^(k) by myself that this palace will become a ruin.'"

For this is what the Lord says about the palace of the king of Judah: "Though you are like Gilead^(l) to me, like the summit of Lebanon,^(m) I will surely make you like a wasteland,⁽ⁿ⁾ like towns not inhabited.

I will send destroyers^(o) against you, each man with his weapons, and they will cut^(p) up your fine cedar beams and throw them into the fire.^(q)

"People from many nations will pass by this city and will ask one another, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?'^(r)

And the answer will be: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God and have worshiped and served other gods.^(s)'"

Do not weep for the dead^(t) king or mourn^(u) his loss; rather, weep bitterly for him who is exiled, because he will never return^(v) nor see his native land again.

For this is what the Lord says about Shallum^[a](w) son of Josiah, who succeeded his father as king of Judah but has gone from this place: "He will never return.

He will die^(x) in the place where they have led him captive; he will not see this land again."

"Woe^(y) to him who builds^(z) his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his own people work for nothing, not paying^(aa) them for their labor.

He says, ‘I will build myself a great palace^(ab) with spacious upper rooms.' So he makes large windows in it, panels it with cedar^(ac) and decorates it in red.^(ad)

"Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just,^(ae) so all went well^(af) with him.

He defended the cause of the poor and needy,^(ag) and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know^(ah) me?" declares the Lord .

"But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,^(ai) on shedding innocent blood^(aj) and on oppression and extortion."^(ak)

Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: "They will not mourn^(al) for him: ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!' They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!'

He will have the burial^(am) of a donkey— dragged away and thrown^(an) outside the gates of Jerusalem."

"Go up to Lebanon and cry out,^(ao) let your voice be heard in Bashan,^(ap) cry out from Abarim,^(aq) for all your allies^(ar) are crushed.

I warned you when you felt secure,^(as) but you said, ‘I will not listen!' This has been your way from your youth;^(at) you have not obeyed^(au) me.

The wind^(av) will drive all your shepherds^(aw) away, and your allies^(ax) will go into exile. Then you will be ashamed and disgraced^(ay) because of all your wickedness.

You who live in ‘Lebanon,^[b](az)' who are nestled in cedar buildings, how you will groan when pangs come upon you, pain^(ba) like that of a woman in labor!

"As surely as I live," declares the Lord , "even if you, Jehoiachin^[c](bb) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring^(bc) on my right hand, I would still pull you off.

I will deliver^(bd) you into the hands of those who want to kill you, those you fear—Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Babylonians.^[d]

I will hurl^(be) you and the mother^(bf) who gave you birth into another country, where neither of you was born, and there you both will die.

You will never come back to the land you long to return^(bg) to."

Is this man Jehoiachin^(bh) a despised, broken pot,^(bi) an object no one wants? Why will he and his children be hurled^(bj) out, cast into a land^(bk) they do not know?

O land,^(bl) land, land, hear the word of the Lord !

This is what the Lord says: "Record this man as if childless,^(bm) a man who will not prosper^(bn) in his lifetime, for none of his offspring^(bo) will prosper, none will sit on the throne^(bp) of David or rule anymore in Judah."