Jeremiah 18:2 kjv
Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
Jeremiah 18:2 nkjv
"Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words."
Jeremiah 18:2 niv
"Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message."
Jeremiah 18:2 esv
"Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words."
Jeremiah 18:2 nlt
"Go down to the potter's shop, and I will speak to you there."
Jeremiah 18 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 18:2 | "Go down to the potter's house..." | Jeremiah 18:2 (Direct command) |
| Jer 18:3 | "...and I heard the Lord speaking to me." | Jeremiah 18:3 (Divine communication) |
| Jer 18:4 | "And the jar he was making..." | Jeremiah 18:4 (Potter's action) |
| Jer 18:5 | "But the pot he was making...became spoiled in the hand of the potter..." | Jeremiah 18:5 (Pottery mishap) |
| Jer 18:6 | "Cannot I do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done?...declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel." | Jeremiah 18:6 (Sovereignty analogy) |
| Rom 9:20 | "Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?" | Romans 9:20 (New Testament echo) |
| Isa 45:9 | "Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or, ‘It is marred in your hands!’?" | Isaiah 45:9 (Divine authority) |
| Isa 64:8 | "Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you our potter; we are all the work of your hand." | Isaiah 64:8 (User of the analogy) |
| Jer 29:11 | "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." | Jeremiah 29:11 (God's redemptive plans) |
| Acts 17:29 | "Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man." | Acts 17:29 (Humanity vs. divine) |
| 2 Cor 4:7 | "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God and not from us." | 2 Corinthians 4:7 (Vulnerability of vessel) |
| Ps 103:14 | "For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust." | Psalm 103:14 (God's knowledge of human frailty) |
| Prov 16:31 | "The gray head is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life." | Proverbs 16:31 (Contrast of earned wisdom) |
| Jer 1:10 | "See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant." | Jeremiah 1:10 (Prophetic commission) |
| Ezek 18:21 | "But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die." | Ezekiel 18:21 (Possibility of change) |
| Hos 6:1 | "Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, that he may bind us up." | Hosea 6:1 (Return and healing) |
| Matt 7:24 | "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock." | Matthew 7:24 (Obedience to God's word) |
| 1 Pet 4:10 | "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." | 1 Peter 4:10 (Stewardship of God's gifts) |
| Ps 33:9 | "For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm." | Psalm 33:9 (God's creative power) |
| Jer 19:11 | "...and break it into pieces like a potter's vessel that is broken beyond repair, and they shall bury them in Topheth..." | Jeremiah 19:11 (Judgment and breaking) |
| Rev 15:7 | "And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever." | Revelation 15:7 (God's wrath in vessels) |
Jeremiah 18 verses
Jeremiah 18 2 Meaning
"Go down to the potter's house" is a divine imperative directing the prophet Jeremiah to observe a craftsman at work. This simple instruction initiates a powerful visual lesson illustrating God's sovereignty and His ability to reshape individuals and nations according to His will, much like a potter molds clay.
Jeremiah 18 2 Context
Chapter 18 of Jeremiah is a pivotal passage where God uses a vivid object lesson to demonstrate His absolute sovereignty over nations and individuals. Jeremiah is commanded to go to a potter's house, a commonplace setting in ancient Israel. There, he witnesses the potter working with clay. When the clay on the wheel becomes misshapen, the potter does not discard it but skillfully reworks it into a new vessel. This simple act serves as a powerful metaphor for God's relationship with Israel. The nation, like clay, had become marred by sin and disobedience. However, God, the sovereign Potter, could still reshape them for His purposes if they would repent. This chapter stands against the backdrop of Judah's continued apostasy and impending Babylonian exile. Jeremiah's message is one of both judgment and conditional hope, emphasizing God's ability to discipline but also to restore.
Jeremiah 18 2 Word Analysis
- Go (הָלֵךְ - halēḵ): Imperative, masculine singular verb from "halak." It signifies movement or walking, directing Jeremiah to proceed to a specific location. It implies intentional action.
- down (יוֹרֵד - yōrēḏ): Imperfect tense verb from "yarad." It signifies descent, a physical downward movement. This detail emphasizes the location being accessible, perhaps in a valley or lower-lying area.
- to (אֶל - ʾel): A preposition indicating direction towards a place or person.
- the potter's (הַיּוֹצֵר - hayyōwṣēṟ): "ha-" is the definite article "the." "yōwṣēṟ" is a noun from the root "yāṣar," meaning "to form," "to shape," or "to fashion." This specifically refers to the one who makes pottery.
- house (בַּיִת - bayiṯ): A common noun meaning "house," "home," or "dwelling." Here it refers to the workshop or premises of the potter.
- and (וְ - wə): A conjunction connecting phrases or clauses.
- I (וַאֲנִי - waʾănî): Pronoun "I" preceded by the waw-consecutive "wa-," linking it to the following action.
- heard (שָׁמַעְתִּי - šāmaʿtî): Perfect tense verb from "šāmaʿ," meaning "to hear." The suffix "-tî" indicates the first person singular ("I").
- the Lord (אֶת־יְהוָה - ʾeṯ-Adonai): "ʾeṯ" is the definite direct object marker. "Adonai" (אֲדֹנָי) is a common title for God, meaning "Lord" or "Master."
- speaking (מְדַבֵּר — məḏabbēr): Participle form of "dāḇar," meaning "to speak." It describes God's ongoing action of communication.
- to (אֵלַי — ʾēlay): Preposition "to" with the first person singular possessive suffix "-y" ("me").
- me (אֵלַי — ʾēlay): As above, emphasizing the personal address.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Go down to the potter's house" (הוֹרֵד בֵּית הַיּוֹצֵר - hōrēḏ ḇēṯ hayyōwṣēṟ): This entire phrase sets the scene for a divinely orchestrated visual lesson. The combination of "go down" (descent) and "potter's house" (place of creation) immediately evokes imagery of encountering a craftsman engaged in his transformative work. The specific directionality of "down" might suggest humility or moving to a place where humble labor takes place.
Jeremiah 18 2 Bonus Section
The imagery of God as a potter and humanity as clay is pervasive throughout Scripture. This passage in Jeremiah emphasizes God's active sovereignty in creation and redemption. Unlike inanimate clay, humans possess free will and can resist the Potter's shaping, a crucial distinction not lost in later theological discussions. However, Jeremiah 18 highlights that even in judgment, God's intention is to demonstrate His power and, if responded to correctly, to bring about repentance and renewal. The analogy extends to how believers are meant to be malleable in God's hands, yielding to His will for service. The "broken" pot that the potter remakes also foreshadows the redemptive work of Christ, who reshapes broken lives.
Jeremiah 18 2 Commentary
This verse is the imperative that launches a powerful prophetic metaphor. Jeremiah is not just told about God's power; he is sent to witness it directly in the mundane setting of a potter's workshop. This practical engagement underscores God's immanence – He is at work in the everyday activities of life. The focus on the "potter's house" is key, as it signifies a place where raw materials are transformed into finished goods. When the clay becomes flawed, the potter's ability to reuse it speaks volumes about God's persistent love and His power to redeem and restore even when His people have become marred by sin. The directive is personal ("I heard the Lord speaking to me"), but the lesson is universal and national, applying to the entire "house of Israel."