The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying:
Rise and go down to the house of the potter, and there I will make you hear my words.
And I went down to the house of the potter, and see — he was doing work on the two stones.
And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; and he turned and made it another vessel, as it was right in the eyes of the potter to make.
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Can I not do to you as this potter, house of Israel? — the utterance of the LORD. See, like the clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.
One moment I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to uproot and to tear down and to destroy;
and that nation turns from its evil against which I spoke — then I relent of the evil I thought to do to it.
And one moment I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant;
and it does the evil in my eyes, not listening to my voice — then I relent of the good I said I would do it good with.
And now, say to the man of Judah and concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: Thus says the LORD: See, I am forming evil against you and devising a device against you. Return now, each from his evil way, and make your ways and your deeds good.
But they said: It is hopeless. For after our own devices we will walk, and each the stubbornness of his evil heart we will do.
Therefore thus says the LORD: Ask now among the nations: who has heard the like of these? A very shocking thing the virgin of Israel has done.
Does the snow of Lebanon leave the rock of the field? Or are strange waters, cold and flowing, uprooted?
For my people have forgotten me; to emptiness they burn incense. And they made them stumble in their ways, the ancient tracks, to walk in paths, a way not built up,
to make their land a horror, hissings forever. Everyone passing by her will be appalled and will shake his head.
Like an east wind I will scatter them before the enemy. The back of the neck and not the face I will show them in the day of their calamity.
Another Plot against Jeremiah
And they said: Come, let us devise devices against Jeremiah, for the instruction will not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not listen to any of his words.
Listen, LORD, to me, and hear the voice of those who contend with me.
Should evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember my standing before your face to speak good for them, to turn back your wrath from them.
Therefore give their sons to famine and pour them out by the hands of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved and widowed, and let their men be killed by death, their young men struck by the sword in battle.
Let an outcry be heard from their houses when you bring a troop on them suddenly, for they have dug a pit to catch me and hidden snares for my feet.
And you, LORD, know all their counsel against me for death. Do not cover their iniquity, and their sin do not blot out from before your face. And let them be made to stumble before you; in the time of your anger deal with them.
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