18 The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, 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 was making something on the wheels. ⁴ When 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.

⁵ Then Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, ⁶ “House of Israel, can’t I do with you as this potter?” says Yahweh. “Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel. ⁷ At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it; ⁸ if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them. ⁹ At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; ¹⁰ if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good with which I said I would benefit them.

¹¹ “Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Yahweh says: “Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a plan against you. Everyone return from his evil way now, and amend your ways and your doings.”’ ¹² But they say, ‘It is in vain; for we will walk after our own plans, and we will each follow the stubbornness of his evil heart.’”

¹³ Therefore Yahweh says:

¹⁸ Then they said, “Come! Let’s devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law won’t perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let’s strike him with the tongue, and let’s not give heed to any of his words.”