1This word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2“Go down to the potter's house, and there I will speak to you.” 3Then I went down to the potter's house, and watched the potter working at the wheel. 4But the pot he was making of clay was marred in his hands; so he crushed it back into a fresh lump of clay and made another pot, as seemed good to him to make. 5Then this word of the LORD came to me, 6“O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does? As the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel. 7In whatever instant I declare my intent to uproot, tear down, or to destroy a nation or a kingdom, 8If that nation, against whom I have proclaimed a warning, turns from its evil, I will not punish it as I intended to. 9And at whatever instant I shall declare My intent to build and to plant a nation or kingdom; 10If it does evil in My sight, and disobeys My voice, then I will reconsider doing the good with which I said I would bless them. 11Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, ‘Thus says the LORD; “Behold, I plan to punish your evil behavior; turn, now, everyone, from his evil way, and make your ways and your deeds good.” 12But they answer, “That is hopeless; we will all continue with our own plans”, and each one acts as the imagination of his evil heart directs.”’”

13Therefore, the LORD says, “Inquire now among the nations, who has heard of any such thing? My virgin nation of Israel has done a very horrible thing. 14 Does the snow of Lebanon ever vanish from the rocky mountain tops? Or shall the cold flowing waters that come from distant places stop flowing? 15Yet My people have forgotten Me, they have burned incense to worthless idols, which caused them to stray from the established and proven paths, to stumble in muddy byways, on ancient deteriorated paths; 16To make their land desolate, and a perpetual scorn; all who pass by it shall be astonished, and wag his head. 17I will scatter them like an east wind before their enemies; I will turn My back on them, and ignore them in the day of their calamity.”

18Then they said, “Come, and let us devise plots against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest, the counsel from the wise, and the word from the prophets, will not cease. Come, and let us attack him with our tongue, and disregard all his words.” 19Hear me, O LORD, and listen to what my adversaries are saying about me. 20Should evil be rewarded for good? For they have dug a pit for me. Remember that I stood before You to speak good for them, and to turn Your wrath away from them. 21So give their children to the famine, and shed their blood by the sword; let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; as their men are put to death; let their young men die by the sword in battle. 22Let a cry rise from their houses, when You suddenly bring invaders against them; for they have dug a pit for me, and hidden traps for my feet. 23LORD, You know all their plots to kill me; do not forgive their evil intent, nor clear their sin from Your sight, but let them be overthrown before You; deal with them thusly in Your anger.