Jeremiah
Jeremiah 18:3–6
3So I went down to the potter’s house and saw him working at the wheel. 4But the vessel that he was shaping from the clay became flawed in his hand; so he formed it into another vessel, as it seemed best for him to do.
5Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 6“O house of Israel, declares the LORD, can I not treat you as this potter treats his clay? Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.
Word by word
Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.
Jeremiah 18:3
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| So I went down | וָאֵרֵ֖ד | wā·’ê·rêḏ | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | H3381 come or go down, descend |
| to the potter’s | הַיּוֹצֵ֑ר | hay·yō·w·ṣêr | Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H3335 form, fashion |
| house | בֵּ֣ית | bêṯ | Noun - masculine singular construct | H1004 house |
| and saw him | וְהִנֵּהוּ | wə·hin·nē·hū | Conjunctive waw; Interjection | H2009 lo! behold! |
| working | עֹשֶׂ֥ה | ‘ō·śeh | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H6213 do, make |
| at | עַל־ | ‘al- | Preposition | H5921 height |
| the wheel | הָאָבְנָֽיִם׃ | hā·’ā·ḇə·nā·yim | Article; Noun - md | H70 wheel, disc |
Jeremiah 18:4
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| But the vessel | הַכְּלִ֗י | hak·kə·lî | Article; Noun - masculine singular | H3627 article, utensil, vessel |
| that | אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ’ă·šer | Pronoun - relative | H834 particle of relation |
| he | ה֥וּא | hū | Pronoun - third person masculine singular | H1931 he, she |
| was shaping | עֹשֶׂ֛ה | ‘ō·śeh | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H6213 do, make |
| from the clay | בַּחֹ֖מֶר | ba·ḥō·mer | Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular | H2563 cement, mortar, clay |
| became flawed | וְנִשְׁחַ֣ת | wə·niš·ḥaṯ | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | H7843 go to ruin (?) |
| in | הַיּוֹצֵ֑ר | hay·yō·w·ṣêr | Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H3335 form, fashion |
| hand | בְּיַ֣ד | bə·yaḏ | Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct | H3027 hand |
| so he formed | וַֽיַּעֲשֵׂ֙הוּ֙ | way·ya·‘ă·śê·hū | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular | H6213 do, make |
| it into another | אַחֵ֔ר | ’a·ḥêr | Adjective - masculine singular | H312 another |
| vessel | כְּלִ֣י | kə·lî | Noun - masculine singular | H3627 article, utensil, vessel |
| as | כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר | ka·’ă·šer | Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative | H834 particle of relation |
| it seemed | בְּעֵינֵ֥י | bə·‘ê·nê | Preposition-b; Noun - cdc | H5869 eye |
| best | יָשַׁ֛ר | yā·šar | Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | H3474 be smooth, straight, right |
| for him | הַיּוֹצֵ֖ר | hay·yō·w·ṣêr | Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H3335 form, fashion |
| to do | לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃פ | la·‘ă·śō·wṯ | Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | H6213 do, make |
Jeremiah 18:5
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Then the word | דְבַר־ | ḏə·ḇar- | Noun - masculine singular construct | H1697 speech, word |
| of the LORD | יְהוָ֖ה | Yah·weh | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H3068 Yahweh |
| came | וַיְהִ֥י | way·hî | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be |
| to me | אֵלַ֥י | ’ê·lay | Preposition; first person common singular | H413 motion to |
| saying | לֵאמֽוֹר׃ | lê·mō·wr | Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | H559 utter, say |
Jeremiah 18:6
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O house | בֵּ֥ית | bêṯ | Noun - masculine singular construct | H1004 house |
| of Israel | יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yiś·rā·’êl | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H3478 Israel |
| declares | נְאֻם־ | nə·’um- | Noun - masculine singular construct | H5002 utterance |
| the LORD | יְהוָ֑ה | Yah·weh | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H3068 Yahweh |
| can | אוּכַ֨ל | ’ū·ḵal | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | H3201 be able, have power, prevail, endure |
| I not | לֹא־ | lō- | Adverb - Negative particle | H3808 not |
| treat | לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת | la·‘ă·śō·wṯ | Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | H6213 do, make |
| you | לָכֶ֛ם | lā·ḵem | Preposition; second person masculine plural | |
| as this | הַזֶּ֜ה | haz·zeh | Article; Pronoun - masculine singular | H2088 this, that |
| potter | הֲכַיּוֹצֵ֨ר | hă·ḵay·yō·w·ṣêr | Preposition-k, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H3335 form, fashion |
| Just | הִנֵּ֤ה | hin·nêh | Interjection | H2009 lo! behold! |
| like clay | כַחֹ֙מֶר֙ | ḵa·ḥō·mer | Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular | H2563 cement, mortar, clay |
| in the potter’s | הַיּוֹצֵ֔ר | hay·yō·w·ṣêr | Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H3335 form, fashion |
| hand | בְּיַ֣ד | bə·yaḏ | Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct | H3027 hand |
| so | כֵּן־ | kên- | Adverb | H3651 right, veritable, honest |
| are you | אַתֶּ֥ם | ’at·tem | Pronoun - second person masculine plural | H859 thou |
| in My hand | בְּיָדִ֖י | bə·yā·ḏî | Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular | H3027 hand |
| O house | בֵּ֥ית | bêṯ | Noun - masculine singular construct | H1004 house |
| of Israel | יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ס | yiś·rā·’êl | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H3478 Israel |
Cross-references
Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.
Jeremiah 18:4 Romans 9:20–23 · Jeremiah 18:6 · Isaiah 45:9
Jeremiah 18:6 Isaiah 64:8 · Romans 9:20–21 · Jeremiah 18:4 · Isaiah 45:9 · Matthew 20:15 · Daniel 4:23 · Romans 11:34
Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.
Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.