The potter and the clay

18 Yahweh gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, 2 “Go to the shop of the man who makes clay pots. I will give you a message there.” 3 So I went to that shop, and I saw the man who makes pots. He was working at his potter’s wheel. 4 When the pot he was shaping from the clay did not turn out the way he wanted, he took the same clay and formed it into a different pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

5 Then Yahweh gave me this message: 6 “People of Israel, I control what happens to you just as this potter controls what he does with his clay.” That is what Yahweh declared. “You are completely under my control, people of Israel, just as the clay is under the potter’s control. 7 There may be a time when I announce that I will get rid of a certain nation or kingdom, like someone pulls up a plant with its roots, and smashes it, and destroys it. 8 However, if the people of that nation stop doing the evil things that I spoke against, then I will not bring the disaster on them that I had planned. 9 There may also be a time when I announce that I will establish a certain nation or kingdom and cause it to prosper. 10 However, if the people of that nation start doing things that I consider to be evil and refuse to obey what I say, then I will not do the good things for them that I said I would do.

11 So now, Jeremiah, please go and tell the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem, ‘This is what Yahweh says: “Know this! I am planning to bring a disaster on you. I am devising something against you. So please, each of you, stop behaving in evil ways and start doing what is right.” ’ ”

12 So I told them that message, but the people replied, “It is useless to hope. We will continue to follow our own plans, and each of us will stubbornly do whatever our evil desires lead us to do.”

13 Therefore, this is what Yahweh says: “Please go and ask the people of other nations whether they have ever heard of anything like this. My Israelite people, who I wanted to be pure like virgins have done something very horrible.

14 The snow on the rocky heights of Lebanon never melts away completely, and the cold streams flowing down from those distant mountains never dry up.

15 But my people are not as reliable as those things. They have abandoned me. They burn incense to honor gods that are worthless. It is as though my people have left the ancient, reliable roads and now walk on rough side paths.

16 Because of that, their land will become an empty wasteland and, forever, people who see it, will hiss to ridicule it. Everyone who travels by it will be appalled and will shake their heads to show that they are shocked.

17 When their enemies attack them, I will scatter my people like an east wind blows dust away. I will reject them and refuse to help them when disaster comes on them.”