The Potter's House

Jeremiah 18

At the Lord's direction, Jeremiah watches a potter reshape a spoiled vessel, and the Lord explains that he likewise can relent from judgment or blessing toward any nation depending on whether it turns from evil or does evil. When Jeremiah learns that his enemies are plotting against him for his warnings, he prays for the Lord to bring judgment upon them and their families.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonTHE word which came to Jeremias from the Lord, saying:

BrentonThe word that came from the Lord to

GreekὉ λόγος ὁ γενόμενος παρὰ Κυρίου πρὸς Ἱερεμίαν, λέγων,

KJVThe word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

JPSThe word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying:

ThomsonArise and go down to the house of the potter and there thou shalt hear My words.

BrentonJeremias, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there thou shalt hear my words.

Greekἀνάστηθι, καὶ κατάβηθι εἰς οἶκον τοῦ κεραμέως, καὶ ἐκεῖ ἀκούσῃ τοὺς λόγους μου.

KJVArise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

JPS’Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear My words.’

ThomsonSo I went down to the house of the potter; and behold he was making a piece of work on stones;

BrentonSo I went down to the potter's house, and behold, he was making a vessel on the stones.

GreekΚαὶ κατέβην εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ κεραμέως, καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς ἐποίει ἔργον ἐπὶ τῶν λίθων.

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

JPSThen I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he was at his work on the wheels.

Thomsonand the vessel, which he was fashioning with his hands, fell, whereupon he again made it a vessel of another sort as it seemed good to him to make it.

BrentonAnd the vessel which he was making with his hands fell: so he made it again another vessel, as it seemed good to him to make it.

GreekΚαὶ ἔπεσε τὸ ἀγγεῖον, ὃ αὐτὸς ἐποίει ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ· καὶ πάλιν αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν αὐτὸ ἀγγεῖον ἕτερον, καθὼς ἤρεσεν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ποιῆσαι.

KJVAnd 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.

JPSAnd whensoever the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

ThomsonThen a word of the Lord came to me saying, Cannot I do with you,

BrentonAnd the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου πρὸς μὲ, λέγων,

KJVThen the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

JPSThen the word of the LORD came to me, saying:

ThomsonO house of Israel, as this potter?

BrentonShall I not be able, O house of Israel, to do to you as this potter? behold, as the clay of the potter are ye in my hands.

GreekΕἰ καθὼς ὁ κεραμεὺς οὗτος οὐ δυνήσομαι τοῦ ποιῆσαι ὑμᾶς οἶκος Ἰσραήλ; ἰδοὺ, ὡς ὁ πηλὸς τοῦ κεραμέως, ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐν χερσί μου.

KJVO house of Israel, cannot 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.

JPS’O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are ye in My hand, O house of Israel.

ThomsonBehold you are in My hands like the clay of the potter. When I speak to a nation or kingdom, that I will remove and destroy them;

BrentonIf I shall pronounce a decree upon a nation, or upon a kingdom, to cut them off, and to destroy them;

GreekΠέρας λαλήσω ἐπὶ ἔθνος, ἢ ἐπὶ βασιλείαν τοῦ ἐξᾶραι αὐτοὺς, καὶ τοῦ ἀπολλύειν,

KJVAt what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;

JPSAt one instant I may speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it;

Thomsonif that nation turn from all their evils, I will relent in respect to the evils which I was resolving to bring on them.

Brentonand that nation turn from all their sins, then will I repent of the evils which I purposed to do to them.

Greekκαὶ ἐπιστραφῇ τὸ ἔθνος ἐκεῖνο ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν κακῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ μετανοήσω περὶ τῶν κακῶν, ὧν ἐλογισάμην, τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτοῖς.

KJVIf that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

JPSbut if that nation turn from their evil, because of which I have spoken against it, I repent of the evil that I thought to do unto it.

ThomsonAnd when I speak to a nation and kingdom that I will build up and replant.

BrentonAnd if I shall pronounce a decree upon a nation and kingdom, to rebuild and to plant it;

GreekΚαὶ πέρας λαλήσω ἐπὶ ἔθνος καὶ βασιλείαν, τοῦ ἀνοικοδομεῖσθαι καὶ τοῦ καταφυτεύεσθαι,

KJVAnd at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

JPSAnd at one instant I may speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

ThomsonIf they do evil in My sight so as not to hearken to My voice, I indeed will alter My mind in respect to the good things which I spoke of doing for them.

Brentonand they do evil before me, so as not to hearken to my voice, then will I repent of the good which I spoke of, to do it to them.

Greekκαὶ ποιήσωσι τὰ πονηρὰ ἐναντίον μου, τοῦ μὴ ἀκούειν τῆς φωνῆς μου, καὶ μετανοήσω περὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὧν ἐλάλησα, τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτοῖς.

KJVIf it 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.

JPSbut if it do evil in My sight, that it hearken not to My voice, then I repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit it.

ThomsonNow I have said to the men of Juda and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Behold I am preparing evils against you and forming against you a determination; turn therefore every one from his evil way and make better things the objects of your pursuit.

BrentonAnd now say to the men of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Behold, I prepare evils against you, and devise a device against you: let every one turn now from his evil way, and amend your practices.

GreekΚαὶ νῦν εἰπὸν πρὸς ἄνδρας Ἰούδα, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ πλάσσω ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς κακὰ, καὶ λογίζομαι ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς λογισμόν· ἀποστραφήτω δὴ ἕκαστος ἀπὸ ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ τῆς πονηρᾶς, καὶ καλλίονα ποιήσατε τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα ὑμῶν.

KJVNow therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.

JPSNow therefore do thou speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you; return ye now every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

ThomsonBut they said, We will act like men. We will follow our own courses; and what every one findeth agreeable to his own wicked heart that we will do.

BrentonAnd they said, We will quit ourselves like men, for we will pursue our perverse ways, and we will perform each the lusts of his evil heart.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπαν, ἀνδριούμεθα, ὅτι ὀπίσω τῶν ἀποστροφῶν ἡμῶν πορευσόμεθα, καὶ ἕκαστος τὰ ἀρεστὰ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ τῆς πονηρᾶς ποιήσομεν.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonTherefore thus saith the Lord: Inquire among the nations. Who hath heard of such horrible things as the virgin of Israel hath sedulously done?

BrentonTherefore thus saith the Lord; Enquire now among the nations, who has heard such very horrible things as the virgin of Israel has done?

GreekΔιατοῦτο τάδε λέγει Κύριος, ἐρωτήσατε δὴ ἐν ἔθνεσι, τίς ἤκουσε τοιαῦτα φρικτὰ ἃ ἐποίησε σφόδρα παρθένος Ἰσραήλ;

KJVTherefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.

JPSTherefore thus saith the LORD: Ask ye now among the nations, Who hath heard such things; The virgin of Israel hath done A very horrible thing.

ThomsonWill crags forsake a rock or snow quit Lebanon? Or water turn aside when furiously driven by wind?

BrentonWill fertilising streams fail to flow from a rock, or snow fail from Libanus? will water violently impelled by the wind turn aside?

GreekΜὴ ἐκλείψουσιν ἀπὸ πέτρας μαστοὶ, ἢ χιὼν ἀπὸ τοῦ Λιβάνου; μὴ ἐκκλίνῃ ὕδωρ βιαίως ἀνέμῳ φερόμενον;

KJV—

JPSDoth the snow of Lebanon fail From the rock of the field? Or are the strange cold flowing waters Plucked up?

ThomsonBecause My people have forgotten Me-have burned incense to vanity; they will therefore break down the everlasting barriers in their ways that they may walk in paths having no road for traveling-

BrentonFor my people have forgotten me, they have offered incense in vain, and they fail in their ways, leaving the ancient tracks, to enter upon impassable paths;

GreekὍτι ἐπελάθοντό μου λαός μου, εἰς κενὸν ἐθυμίασαν καὶ ἀσθενήσουσιν ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν σχοίνους αἰωνίους, τοῦ ἐπιβῆναι τρίβους οὐκ ἔχοντας ὁδὸν εἰς πορείαν,

KJVBecause 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;

JPSFor My people hath forgotten Me, They offer unto vanity; And they have been made to stumble in their ways, In the ancient paths, To walk in bypaths, In a way not cast up;

Thomsonthat they may make the land a desolation-an everlasting object of pity. All that pass through it shall be astonished and shake their head.

Brentonto make their land a desolation, and a perpetual hissing; all that go through it shall be amazed, and shall shake their heads.

Greekτοῦ τάξαι τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν εἰς ἀφανισμὸν, καὶ σύριγμα αἰώνιον· πάντες οἱ διαπορευόμενοι διʼ αὐτῆς ἐκστήσονται, καὶ κινήσουσι τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτῶν.

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

JPSTo make their land an astonishment, And a perpetual hissing; Every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, And shake his head.

ThomsonLike a burning wind I will scatter them before their enemies. I will shew them the day of their destruction.

BrentonI will scatter them before their enemies like an east wind; I will shew them the day of their destruction.

GreekὩς ἄνεμον καύσωνα διασπερῶ αὐτοὺς κατὰ πρόσωπον ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν, δείξω αὐτοῖς ἡμέραν ἀπωλείας αὐτῶν.

KJVI 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 calamity.

JPSI will scatter them as with an east wind Before the enemy; I will look upon their back, and not their face, In the day of their calamity.

ThomsonUpon this they said, Come let us settle on account with Jeremias. Because law shall not perish from the priest, nor coun sel from the wise, nor a word from the prophet, Come and that we may smite him with the tongue, let us hear all his words.

BrentonThen they said, Come, and let us devise a device against Jeremias; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and we will hear all his words.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν, δεῦτε καὶ λογισώμεθα ἐπὶ Ἱερεμίαν λογισμὸν, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπολεῖται νόμος ἀπὸ ἱερέως, καὶ βουλὴ ἀπὸ συνετοῦ, καὶ λόγος ἀπὸ προφήτου· δεῦτε καὶ πατάξωμεν αὐτὸν ἐν γλώσσῃ, καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα πάντας τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ.

KJVThen said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, 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.

JPSThen said they: ‘Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; For instruction shall not perish from the priest, 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.’

ThomsonHear me, O Lord, and hearken to my justification.

BrentonHear me, O Lord, and hear the voice of my pleading.

GreekΕἰσάκουσόν μου Κύριε, καὶ εἰσάκουσον τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ δικαιώματός μου.

KJVGive heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.

JPSGive heed to me, O LORD, And hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.

ThomsonShall evils be returned for good offices? Because they contrived designs against my life and concealed the punishment they intended for me. Remember how I stood before Thee to intercede for them—to turn away Thy wrath from them.

BrentonForasmuch as evil is rewarded for good; for they have spoken words against my soul, and they have hidden the punishment they meant for me; remember that I stood before thy face, to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.

GreekΕἰ ἀνταποδίδοται ἀντὶ ἀγαθῶν κακὰ, ὅτι συνελάλησαν ῥήματα κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς μου, καὶ τὴν κόλασιν αὐτῶν ἔκρυψάν μοι· μνήσθητι ἑστηκότος μου κατὰ πρόσωπόν σου, τοῦ λαλῆσαι ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀγαθὰ, τοῦ ἀποστρέψαι τὸν θυμόν σου ἀπʼ αὐτῶν.

KJVShall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.

JPSShall evil be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before Thee To speak good for them, To turn away Thy wrath from them.

ThomsonFor this cause deliver up their sons to famine and give them up in multitudes to the sword. Let their wives become childless and widows, and the husbands be cut off by pestilence and their young men fall by the sword in battle.

BrentonTherefore do thou deliver their sons to famine, and gather them to the power of the sword: let their women be childless and widows; and let their men be cut off by death, and their young men fall by the sword in war.

GreekΔιατοῦτο δὸς τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν εἰς λιμὸν, καὶ ἄθροισον αὐτοὺς εἰς χεῖρας μαχαίρας· γενέσθωσαν αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν ἄτεκνοι καὶ χῆραι, καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτῶν γενέσθωσαν ἀνῃρημένοι θανάτῳ, καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι αὐτῶν πεπτωκότες μαχαίρᾳ ἐν πολέμῳ.

KJVTherefore 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.

JPSTherefore deliver up their children to the famine, And hurl them to the power of the sword; And let their wives be bereaved of their children, and widows; And let their men be slain of death, And their young men smitten of the sword in battle.

ThomsonLet a scream be heard in their houses. Thou wilt bring robbers suddenly on them because they contrived a speech to entrap me and concealed the snares they had set for me.

BrentonLet there be a cry in their houses: thou shalt bring upon them robbers suddenly: for they have formed a plan to take me, and have hidden snares for me.

GreekΓενηθήτω κραυγὴ ἐν ταῖς οἰκίαις αὐτῶν· ἐπάξεις ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς λῃστὰς ἄφνω, ὅτι ἐνεχείρησαν λόγον εἰς σύλληψίν μου, καὶ παγίδας ἔκρυψαν ἐπʼ ἐμέ.

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

JPSLet a cry be heard from their houses, When thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them; For they have digged a pit to take me, And hid snares for my feet.

ThomsonThou indeed, O Lord, knewest all their designs against me to put me to death. Absolve them not from their wickedness, nor blot out their sins from before Thee. Let their weakness be before Thee. Deal with them in the time of Thy wrath.

BrentonAnd thou, Lord, knowest all their deadly counsel against me: account not their iniquities guiltless, and blot not out their sins from before thee: let their weakness come before thee; deal with them in the time of thy wrath.

GreekΚαὶ σὺ, Κύριε, ἔγνως ἅπασαν τὴν βουλὴν αὐτῶν ἐπʼ ἐμὲ εἰς θάνατον· μὴ ἀθωώσῃς τὰς ἀδικίας αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν ἀπὸ προσώπου σου μὴ ἐξαλείψῃς· γενέσθω ἡ ἀσθένεια αὐτῶν ἐναντίον σου, ἐν καιρῷ θυμοῦ σου ποίησον ἐν αὐτοῖς.

KJVYet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not 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.

JPSYet, LORD, Thou knowest All their counsel against me to slay me; Forgive not their iniquity, Neither blot out their sin from Thy sight; But let them be made to stumble before Thee; Deal Thou with them in the time of Thine anger.