Jeremiah 18 2

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 verses

Jeremiah 18 2 Meaning

Jeremiah 18:2 is a divine command to the prophet Jeremiah, instructing him to go to a specific place—the potter's house. The purpose of this directive is explicitly stated: there, the LORD promises to reveal His words and impart a specific message to Jeremiah. This verse sets the scene for a pivotal object lesson that communicates God's sovereignty over nations and His prerogative to shape or reshape them according to His will and their responses.

Jeremiah 18 2 Context

Jeremiah 18 opens with this specific command to the prophet. Chapter 17 concludes with Jeremiah lamenting Jerusalem's sin and seeking God's intervention. Now, God provides a direct, tangible lesson. The historical context is Judah's increasing wickedness and the looming threat of Babylonian exile. Jeremiah's message is consistently one of judgment tempered by a call to repentance. This particular lesson at the potter's house serves to illustrate God's absolute sovereignty over nations and His dynamic interaction with humanity based on their choices. It prepares Jeremiah and the audience for a profound revelation about divine justice and mercy, setting the stage for the rest of chapter 18, which explains the spiritual implications of the potter's work on clay for nations and individuals.

Jeremiah 18 2 Word analysis

• Arise (קוּם - qum): This Hebrew imperative conveys more than simply standing up; it signifies a call to action, to rouse oneself, to prepare for a divinely ordained task. It suggests urgency and purpose, a mental and physical readiness for obedience. It’s an initiation of an active, deliberate movement towards the divine assignment.
• and go down (וְיָרַדְתָּ - ve-yaradta): While often meaning a physical descent from a higher to a lower place, here it simply denotes a journey or movement to the specific location. It could subtly suggest a call to humility or to engage with common life to perceive divine truth. The conjunction "and" links it directly with "arise," forming a single, immediate command.
• to the potter's house (בֵּית הַיּוֹצֵר - beit ha-yotser):
  • Beit (house of): Denotes a specific location, a workplace.
  • Ha-yotser (the potter): The definite article highlights a specific artisan whose craft is well-known and whose work provides the necessary visual aid. The potter's trade was a common and easily understood profession in ancient Israel, universally recognized as a hands-on shaping and forming of raw material. This mundane, everyday setting is chosen by God as the stage for a profound spiritual lesson.
• and there (שָׁמָּה - shammah): This adverb explicitly anchors the divine revelation to this particular place. It signifies that the place itself is integral to the message, not just the action. The location is consecrated by God for the impartation of His words.
• I will cause thee to hear (אֲשְׁמִיעֲךָ - ashmi'aka): This is a Hiphil (causative) form of the verb shama (to hear). It means God Himself will actively make Jeremiah hear, ensuring the message is delivered and perceived. It's not a passive observation where Jeremiah might overhear, but an active, divine impartation. It guarantees direct and undeniable revelation.
• My words (אֶת-דְּבָרָי - et-devarai):
  • Et: A direct object marker, emphasizing what will be heard.
  • Devarai (My words): Explicitly God's own authoritative message. These are not merely human insights or philosophical reflections but divinely originating communications, full of power and truth, intended for His prophet to convey.

Words-group analysis:

• "Arise, and go down": A strong dual imperative demonstrating an immediate call to decisive action and physical movement as a precursor to spiritual revelation. This movement implies breaking from the current situation to seek a new perspective.
• "to the potter's house": The chosen destination is significant. It represents a common, observable, practical craft, making the subsequent spiritual lesson tangible and relatable. It's a setting of creative work, control over raw material, and potential reshaping.
• "and there I will cause thee to hear My words": This phrase highlights God's sovereignty over location and revelation. The promise is direct from God, signifying that the act of going down to the potter's house is not merely a task, but a pilgrimage to receive direct divine communication, with God Himself being the active speaker and assurer of hearing.

Jeremiah 18 2 Bonus section

The Hebrew word for "potter" (yotser) shares the same root as the verb "to form" or "to create," which is frequently used to describe God's creative work (e.g., in Isa 43:7, 44:2). This linguistic connection is crucial as it subtly prepares Jeremiah for the later revelation that the potter is a direct metaphor for God Himself, and the clay for His creation, especially humanity and nations. This connection underscores God's original, intentional, and ongoing formation of His people. The "potter's house" is thus not merely a physical location but a metaphor for the realm of divine creative and re-creative activity. The act of God sending Jeremiah to observe a potter demonstrates God's pedagogical method – using an accessible, concrete illustration to convey profound theological truth.

Jeremiah 18 2 Commentary

Jeremiah 18:2 serves as the divine commission for a vital object lesson. God commands Jeremiah to embark on a journey to a seemingly ordinary location – the potter's house. This deliberate setting, rather than a temple or a king's court, underscores that divine revelation is not confined to sacred spaces but can emerge from the everyday and the mundane. The emphasis is on the journey and the specific place of hearing. The causative "I will cause you to hear" stresses God's initiative in revelation. Jeremiah is not just observing but is positioned by God to receive a specific, personal, and profound message about divine sovereignty and the ability to reform nations, just as a potter can rework clay. This command signifies that spiritual understanding often requires active obedience and engagement with the tangible world to grasp deeper spiritual truths.

• Practical usage example: Sometimes, to hear God clearly, we need to physically step out of our routines or current environment and engage in an act of obedience, however simple or mundane it might seem, knowing God promises to speak in that very moment. For instance, stepping away from distractions for focused prayer, or actively participating in service to learn a new lesson.