Jeremiah 18:10 kjv
If 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.
Jeremiah 18:10 nkjv
if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.
Jeremiah 18:10 niv
and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.
Jeremiah 18:10 esv
and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it.
Jeremiah 18:10 nlt
but then that nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless it as I said I would.
Jeremiah 18 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 18:8 | If that nation… turns from its evil, then I will relent… | God's sovereignty and man's responsibility (Ezra 3:14, Jonah 3:10, Joel 2:13-14) |
| Jeremiah 36:3 | That I may proclaim… all the words of admonition… they may turn… | Prophetic warning and call to repentance (Isa 55:7, Acts 3:19) |
| Ezekiel 33:14-16 | If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and he turns… | God's justice and mercy concerning the wicked (Ps 7:11-13, Luke 13:3-5) |
| Jonah 3:4-10 | Jonah began to go into the city… cried out and said, ‘Yet forty days… | God's mercy shown to Nineveh upon repentance (Matt 12:41, Deut 30:2) |
| 1 Samuel 12:14 | If you will fear the LORD and serve Him… then both you and your king… | Conditional covenant blessings for obedience (Jos 24:20, Lev 26:3-13) |
| 2 Chronicles 7:14 | If my people who are called by my name humble themselves… | Solomon's prayer and God's response to repentance (2 Chron 12:12, Ps 51:17) |
| Psalm 103:8 | The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding… | God's character of mercy and compassion (Ex 34:6, Neh 9:17) |
| Isaiah 1:19-20 | If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land… | Promise of blessing or judgment based on obedience (Jer 17:23-26, Ps 81:13-16) |
| Isaiah 61:1-2 | The Spirit of the LORD GOD is upon me… to proclaim liberty… | Christ's mission fulfilling prophetic themes (Luke 4:18-19, John 3:17) |
| Acts 2:38 | And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized everyone of you…” | The call to repentance and its consequence (Rev 2:5, Acts 20:21) |
| Romans 5:20 | Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased… | God's grace triumphing over sin (Rom 11:32, Eph 1:7-8) |
| 1 Timothy 1:15-16 | The saying is trustworthy and deserving of all staunch acception… | Christ's purpose to save sinners (Luke 19:10, John 1:29) |
| Hebrews 4:16 | Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace… | Access to God through Christ (Heb 10:19-22, 1 John 2:1-2) |
| 1 John 1:9 | If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us… | Confession and forgiveness (Prov 28:13, Ps 32:5) |
| Revelation 3:19-20 | Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline, so be zealous and repent. | God's discipline leading to repentance (Rev 2:16, Heb 12:5-6) |
| Deuteronomy 30:19 | choose life, that you and your offspring may live… | The choice between life and death (Jer 11:8, Deut 4:26) |
| 1 Kings 8:47 | and when they come to themselves in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent… | Repentance in exile (Neh 1:9, Ps 137:1) |
| 2 Kings 18:30-31 | And Rabshakeh said, “Let not Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD…” | Rebuke against trusting false promises of security (Isa 36:15-20, Jer 17:5) |
| Job 33:27-28 | He looks on people, and if anyone says, ‘I have sinned and perverted what was right… | God's redemption for the repentant (Ps 50:23, Jer 5:3) |
| Jeremiah 4:1-2 | If you return, O Israel, declares the LORD, return to me… | A general call for Israel to return to God (Hos 14:1-2, Joel 2:12) |
Jeremiah 18 verses
Jeremiah 18 10 Meaning
The verse declares that if a nation, after being spoken to by God through His prophets, turns from its wickedness, then God will relent from the disaster He had planned for them. This signifies God's responsive nature to repentance and a demonstration of His grace and justice.
Jeremiah 18 10 Context
Jeremiah 18 describes the potter and clay imagery. God, like a potter, fashions Israel, His people. This verse, chapter 18, verse 10, is a pivotal statement explaining the principle behind God’s dealing with nations. Following the initial prophetic pronouncements (vv. 1-9), which illustrated God’s absolute sovereignty in creating and shaping nations, this verse introduces the reciprocal element: the nation's response to God's word. Historically, Judah was facing imminent judgment due to its pervasive sin and idolatry. Jeremiah’s ministry was characterized by repeated warnings of destruction and exile, followed by the persistent offer of divine clemency contingent upon repentance. This particular passage emphasizes that divine decrees of judgment are not immutable when met with genuine national repentance.
Jeremiah 18 10 Word Analysis
I - Represents God, the speaker, asserting His authority and agency in historical events.
declare - (Hebrew: imar) means "to say," "to speak," or "to declare." It signifies a direct pronouncement or statement from God.
the - Definite article indicating specificity.
LORD - (Hebrew: YHWH) The personal, covenantal name of God, emphasizing His relationship with His people.
if - Introduces a conditional statement, establishing a cause-and-effect relationship between the nation's actions and God's response.
that - Refers back to "nation" previously mentioned.
nation - (Hebrew: goy) Can refer to any gentile nation or the nation of Israel, depending on the context. Here it implies any people group God addresses.
hear - (Hebrew: shama') Implies listening attentively, understanding, and obeying. It's more than passive hearing.
from - Indicates origin or source.
its - Possessive pronoun referring to "nation."
evil - (Hebrew: ra') Pertains to wickedness, wrongdoing, sin, and things that are contrary to God's will, leading to negative consequences.
turn - (Hebrew: shuv) Means to turn back, return, or repent. It signifies a radical change of direction away from sin and towards God.
from - Again, indicating separation.
its - Possessive pronoun.
wickedness - (Hebrew: ra'ah) Similar to 'evil', it denotes wrongdoing and moral perversion.
and - Connects the nation's hearing and turning to God's subsequent action.
I - God as the subject of the action.
will - Indicates future certainty.
relent - (Hebrew: nacham) Means to feel remorse, regret, to change one's mind, or to be moved to compassion. In the context of God, it signifies a change in His dealings based on a new condition.
concerning - Preposition indicating the object or matter.
the - Definite article.
evil - (Hebrew: ra') The disaster or calamity previously mentioned or planned.
that - Relative pronoun, specifying the evil.
I - God as the agent.
had - Indicates past action.
thought - (Hebrew: chashab) Means to plan, intend, devise, or think about. God's "thought" is a purposeful design for action.
to - Preposition indicating purpose.
bring - (Hebrew: asah) Means to do, make, or bring about.
upon - Indicates the object or recipient of the action.
it - Refers back to the "nation."
Jeremiah 18 10 Bonus Section
The Hebrew verb nacham (relent) used for God can imply regret or change of mind, but within the biblical context, it is understood not as God changing His nature (which is immutable) but as changing His dealings with humanity based on their changed condition. This is often explained through the lens of God's responsive relationship with His covenant people, reflecting His justice and mercy simultaneously. The promise here is not absolute, but conditional upon genuine repentance, as shown by the broader prophetic context of Jeremiah and the consistent teaching of the Bible regarding God’s heart for the salvation of nations.
Jeremiah 18 10 Commentary
This verse articulates a fundamental principle of God’s interaction with humanity: conditional covenantalism. God’s pronouncements of judgment are not arbitrary but are responsive to human behavior, specifically to repentance. The imagery of God "thinking" or "planning" to bring evil signifies His righteous judgment against persistent sin. However, the "relenting" demonstrates His mercy and willingness to withdraw judgment when His people turn from their sin. This emphasizes that God desires people to turn and live. The phrase "turn from its wickedness" is a direct call to repentance, a concept central throughout Scripture, urging a change of heart and action back toward God. This verse underscores God's grace, demonstrating that His judgments are remedial and reformatory when met with obedience and a turning away from sin.