Jeremiah 18:7
New International Version
If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed,

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

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

Berean Standard Bible
At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed.

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

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

New American Standard Bible
At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot it, to tear it down, or to destroy it;

NASB 1995
“At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it;

NASB 1977
“At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it;

Legacy Standard Bible
At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to tear down, or to make it perish;

Amplified Bible
At one moment I might [suddenly] speak concerning a nation or kingdom, that I will uproot and break down and destroy;

Christian Standard Bible
At one moment I might announce concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will uproot, tear down, and destroy it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
At one moment I might announce concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will uproot, tear down, and destroy it.

American Standard Version
At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it;

Contemporary English Version
If I threaten to uproot and shatter an evil nation,

English Revised Version
At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"At one time I may threaten to tear up, break down, and destroy a nation or a kingdom.

Good News Translation
If at any time I say that I am going to uproot, break down, or destroy any nation or kingdom,

International Standard Version
At one moment I may speak about a nation or a kingdom to uproot it, pull it down, or destroy it.

Majority Standard Bible
At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed.

NET Bible
There are times, Jeremiah, when I threaten to uproot, tear down, and destroy a nation or kingdom.

New Heart English Bible
At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it;

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

World English Bible
At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The moment I speak concerning a nation, "" And concerning a kingdom, "" To pluck up and to break down, and to destroy,

Young's Literal Translation
The moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, To pluck up and to break down, and to destroy,

Smith's Literal Translation
The moment I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to tear down, and to destroy:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
I will suddenly speak against a nation, and against a kingdom, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy it.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Suddenly, I will speak against a nation and against a kingdom, so that I may uproot, and destroy, and scatter it.

New American Bible
At one moment I may decree concerning a nation or kingdom that I will uproot and tear down and destroy it;

New Revised Standard Version
At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
If suddenly I should speak concerning a people and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
If from the stillness I shall speak about a people and about a kingdom to uproot and to pull down and to overthrow and to destroy
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
At one instant I may speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
If I shall pronounce a decree upon a nation, or upon a kingdom, to cut them off, and to destroy them;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Potter and the Clay
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. 7At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed. 8But if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will relent of the disaster I had planned to bring.…

Cross References
Jonah 3:4-10
On the first day of his journey, Jonah set out into the city and proclaimed, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!” / And the Ninevites believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least. / When word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. ...

Ezekiel 18:21-24
But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. / None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live. / Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live? ...

Ezekiel 33:13-16
If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but he then trusts in his righteousness and commits iniquity, then none of his righteous works will be remembered; he will die because of the iniquity he has committed. / But if I tell the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and he turns from his sin and does what is just and right— / if he restores a pledge, makes restitution for what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without practicing iniquity—then he will surely live; he will not die. ...

Isaiah 55:6-7
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. / Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

Amos 7:3-6
So the LORD relented from this plan. “It will not happen,” He said. / This is what the Lord GOD showed me: The Lord GOD was calling for judgment by fire. It consumed the great deep and devoured the land. / Then I said, “Lord GOD, please stop! How will Jacob survive, since he is so small?” ...

2 Chronicles 7:14
and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Deuteronomy 28:1-2
“Now if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God and are careful to follow all His commandments I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. / And all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the voice of the LORD your God:

Deuteronomy 28:15
If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

1 Kings 21:27-29
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly. / Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: / “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity during his days, but I will bring it upon his house in the days of his son.”

Joel 2:13-14
So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster. / Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him—grain and drink offerings for the LORD your God.

Matthew 11:20-24
Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. / “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. / But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. ...

Luke 13:3-5
No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish. / Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam collapsed on them: Do you think that they were more sinful than all the others living in Jerusalem? / No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Acts 17:30-31
Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent. / For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”

Romans 11:21-23
For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will certainly not spare you either. / Take notice, therefore, of the kindness and severity of God: severity to those who fell, but kindness to you, if you continue in His kindness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. / And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

Hebrews 6:4-6
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, / who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age— / and then have fallen away—to be restored to repentance, because they themselves are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to open shame.


Treasury of Scripture

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

to pluck.

Jeremiah 1:10
See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

Jeremiah 12:14-17
Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them…

Jeremiah 25:9
Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.

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Jeremiah 18
1. Under the type of a potter is shown God's absolute power in disposing of nations.
11. Judgments threatened to Judah for her strange revolt.
18. Jeremiah prays against his conspirators.














At any time
The phrase "at any time" underscores the sovereignty and omnipotence of God. In the Hebrew text, the word used here is "peta," which conveys the idea of immediacy and suddenness. This highlights God's ability to act according to His will without delay or hindrance. It serves as a reminder that God's plans and purposes are not bound by human timelines or expectations. Historically, this reflects the understanding that God is ever-present and actively involved in the affairs of nations and individuals, ready to intervene or alter circumstances as He deems necessary.

I might announce
The word "announce" in Hebrew is "dabar," which means to speak, declare, or command. This indicates that God's declarations are not mere suggestions but authoritative pronouncements. The use of "announce" emphasizes the prophetic nature of God's communication, where His words carry the weight of divine authority and certainty. In the context of Jeremiah, this reflects the role of the prophet as a mouthpiece for God's messages to the people, often calling them to repentance or warning them of impending judgment.

concerning a nation or kingdom
The mention of "a nation or kingdom" broadens the scope of God's dealings beyond Israel to include all nations. The Hebrew words "goy" (nation) and "mamlakah" (kingdom) suggest that God's sovereignty extends over all political and social entities. This is a powerful reminder of the universal nature of God's authority and His concern for justice and righteousness among all peoples. Historically, this reflects the biblical worldview that God is not a tribal deity but the Lord of all creation, holding every nation accountable to His standards.

that I will uproot
The term "uproot" is translated from the Hebrew word "nathash," which means to pull up or pluck out. This imagery conveys the idea of complete removal or destruction, akin to pulling a plant out by its roots so that it cannot grow back. It signifies God's power to dismantle and overthrow nations that persist in wickedness. This serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of sin and rebellion against God, emphasizing His role as a righteous judge who will not tolerate injustice indefinitely.

tear down
"Tear down" comes from the Hebrew "haras," meaning to demolish or destroy. This further illustrates the extent of God's judgment, where He not only removes but also dismantles the structures and systems that support a nation's existence. The historical context of Jeremiah's ministry, which included the impending destruction of Jerusalem, provides a vivid example of this divine action. It serves as a warning that no nation is immune to God's judgment if it turns away from His ways.

and destroy it
The phrase "destroy it" is derived from the Hebrew "abad," which means to perish or annihilate. This completes the triad of actions—uproot, tear down, and destroy—emphasizing the totality of God's judgment against unrepentant nations. It reflects the seriousness with which God views sin and the lengths to which He will go to uphold His righteousness. Scripturally, this is consistent with the theme of divine retribution found throughout the Bible, where God's patience is balanced by His justice.

(7-10) At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation . . .--The words carry the thoughts of the prophet back to those which had been stamped indelibly on his memory when he was first called to his work (Jeremiah 1:10). He is now taught that that work was throughout conditional. In bold anthropomorphic speech Jehovah represents himself as changing His purpose, even suddenly, "in an instant," if the nation that is affected by it passes from evil to good or from good to evil. The seeming change is but the expression of an unchanged eternal Law of Righteousness, dealing with men according to their works. This, and not the assertion of an arbitrary, irresistibly predestinating will, was the lesson the prophet had been taught by the parable of the potter's wheel.

Verses 7, 8. - At what instant, etc.; rather, One instant I may speak... but if that nation, against which 1 have spoken, turn from their evil, I repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. A similar rendering for the next verse.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
At any time
רֶ֣גַע (re·ḡa‘)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7281: A wink, a very short space of time

I might announce
אֲדַבֵּ֔ר (’ă·ḏab·bêr)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

that
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

a nation
גּ֖וֹי (gō·w)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

or kingdom
מַמְלָכָ֑ה (mam·lā·ḵāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4467: Kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, reign

will be uprooted,
לִנְת֥וֹשׁ (lin·ṯō·wōš)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5428: To pull or pluck up, root out

torn down,
וְלִנְת֖וֹץ (wə·lin·ṯō·wṣ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5422: To pull down, break down

and destroyed.
וּֽלְהַאֲבִֽיד׃ (ū·lə·ha·’ă·ḇîḏ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 18:7 At what instant I shall speak concerning (Jer.)
Jeremiah 18:6
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