Jeremiah 18 7

Jeremiah 18:7 kjv

At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;

Jeremiah 18:7 nkjv

The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it,

Jeremiah 18:7 niv

If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed,

Jeremiah 18:7 esv

If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it,

Jeremiah 18:7 nlt

If I announce that a certain nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed,

Jeremiah 18 verses

Jeremiah 18 7 Meaning

At any moment, if God declares that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, overthrown, or destroyed, and if that nation turns from its wickedness, then God relents concerning the disaster he had planned to bring upon them. This illustrates God's conditional judgment and his readiness to show mercy upon repentance.

Jeremiah 18 7 Context

This verse is spoken by God through the prophet Jeremiah to the nation of Judah. Jeremiah is at the potter's house, observing the potter working with clay. God uses this image to illustrate His sovereign power over nations. Jeremiah 18:1-6 sets up the imagery of God as the potter and Israel as the clay. Verse 7 transitions from the potter's work to God's dealings with nations, emphasizing that just as a potter can reshape his clay, God can judge or show mercy to nations. The immediate context is God's ongoing pronouncements of judgment against Judah for its persistent disobedience and idolatry. However, this verse introduces a crucial principle of God's character: His willingness to withhold judgment if a nation repents. This is a pivotal moment in Jeremiah's prophecy, as it highlights the conditional nature of God's pronouncements and His deep desire for repentance. The backdrop is the impending Babylonian exile, but even in the face of impending doom, God offers a pathway to potential deliverance through turning from sin.

Jeremiah 18 7 Word Analysis

• “If” (Hebrew: אם - im): This is a conditional particle introducing a hypothetical situation. It sets up the cause-and-effect relationship described in the verse.
• “at any time” (Hebrew: האם - ha-im): Literally "whether." This emphasizes that this principle applies universally and without temporal restriction – whenever the conditions are met.
• “I” (Hebrew: אני - ani): Refers to God Himself, emphasizing His direct agency and authority in national pronouncements.
• “pronounce” (Hebrew: דבר - dabar): Means to speak, to decree, to declare. It signifies a definitive and authoritative statement from God.
• “concerning a nation (Hebrew: על גוי - al goy) and concerning a kingdom” (Hebrew: ועל ממלכה - vəʿal mimlaḵā): "Goy" refers to a nation or people, often with the sense of gentiles in relation to Israel, but here encompassing any collective group. "Mimlachah" means kingdom or dominion. God’s authority extends over all political entities.
• “to build (Hebrew: לבנות - liḇnōṯ) and to plant it” (Hebrew: ולנטע - ūlṉṭaʿ): These verbs signify establishment, prosperity, and growth. It implies God's active role in founding and sustaining nations, suggesting a positive or neutral initial disposition towards them, which can be reversed by their actions.
• “yet (Hebrew: כי - ki): Introduces the condition that follows.
• “it” (Hebrew: הוא - hu): Refers back to the nation or kingdom mentioned.
• “commits wickedness” (Hebrew: יַעשׂ-רעה - yaʿaś-raʿa): Literally "does evil" or "practices evil." This refers to moral corruption, sinfulness, and unrighteous actions at a national level.
• “and” (Hebrew: ומן - ūmɪn): Indicates that the next phrase follows the commission of wickedness.
• “turns (Hebrew: ישׁמע - yišmaʿ) from his evil” (Hebrew: מעתו הרעה - mê‘atto hārāʿa): The Hebrew word yishma means "he obeys" or "he hearkens." However, in this context and in conjunction with the parallel structures in Jeremiah and Ezekiel (like Jer 18:11 and Ezek 18:27-28), it is better understood in the sense of turning away from, abandoning, or heeding God's call to cease from evil. The translation "listens to his evil" would be odd; it implies obeying from his evil, i.e., obeying a command to desist from his evil ways. Scholars suggest a reading or understanding close to yashuv (to turn) or to hearken away from evil. The LXX renders it as "if it will repent from its evil deeds." A better conceptual rendering often adopted is "if it turns from its evil."
• “then” (Hebrew: וחלילה - wəḥālîlâ): This Hebrew term translates as "then," "and it shall be," or "it shall be indeed." It signifies the consequence or response to the prior condition being met.
• “I” (Hebrew: אני - ani): Again, God Himself.
• “will repent (Hebrew: נחם - niḥam) of the evil” (Hebrew: מן הרעה - mɪn haraʿâ): The verb "naham" means to regret, to be sorry for, to change one's mind or intention, or to relent. It denotes a change of disposition or purpose in response to a change in the other party.
• “that I thought (Hebrew: אשר חשבתי - ’ašer ḥašavti) to do (Hebrew: לעשׂות - la‘asōṯ) to them.” (Hebrew: אותם - ōṯam): "Chashavti" means to think, plan, consider, or devise. God’s plans, while sovereign, are not always immutable against genuine repentance.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Build and plant": This imagery signifies God's foundational work in establishing nations and blessing them with peace and prosperity. It’s the initial favorable action of God that can be reversed.
• "Commits wickedness and turns from his evil": This represents a cycle of national sin followed by a decisive change of heart and action. The turning implies active repentance and a turning away from wrongdoing.
• "Relent of the evil": This describes God’s responsive action. It’s not that God changes His essential nature or His hatred of sin, but rather that He changes His intention or application of judgment based on the altered behavior of the nation.

Jeremiah 18 7 Bonus Section

The imagery of God as the potter shaping clay, introduced just before this verse, is crucial. Just as a potter has dominion over the clay, God has dominion over nations. However, unlike dead clay, nations have agency and can choose their response to God’s working. This verse highlights that God’s judgment is not capricious but responsive to behavior, and His mercy is abundant for those who seek Him. The prophet Jonah's experience with Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-10), where a wicked city repented upon hearing a divine warning and was spared, is a direct Old Testament parallel to this principle. Jesus later affirms this principle in the New Testament (Matthew 11:20-24) when lamenting the lack of repentance in certain Galilean cities. The Hebrew word niḥam (relent) also appears when God planned to destroy Israel for the golden calf incident (Exodus 32:14), and Moses interceded. This shows God’s susceptibility to responsive mercy based on human intercession and repentance.

Jeremiah 18 7 Commentary

Jeremiah 18:7 is a profound declaration of God's merciful justice. It illustrates that while God’s pronouncements of judgment are true and sovereign, they are also conditional upon human response. When a nation (or an individual) acts wickedly, God, in His righteous anger, declares judgment. However, He is not a tyrant who delights in destruction. His ultimate desire is for life and restoration. If the offending nation heeds His warnings and turns away from its sin, God "relents." This "relenting" doesn't mean God made a mistake or changed His mind in the sense of human fickleness; rather, it means He alters His course of action (from judgment to continued grace) in response to the genuine repentance offered. This verse is a cornerstone for understanding divine-conditional sovereignty, showcasing God’s powerful judgment balanced with His immeasurable compassion. The principle extends beyond nations to individuals, as seen throughout Scripture. It is a constant call to repentance, reminding us that no decree of judgment is final if met with a sincere return to God.