2. Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
3. Then I went down to the potter’s house; and, behold, he wrought a work upon a wheel.
4. And the vessel that he made of clay was broken in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
5. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
6. O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel.
7. In an instant I shall speak against Gentiles and against kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy.
8. But if these Gentiles shall turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
9. And in an instant I shall speak concerning the nation and concerning the kingdom, to build and to plant it;
10. but if it should do evil in my sight, not hearing my voice, then I will repent of the good that I had determined to do unto them.
11. Now therefore, speak to every man of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus hath the Lord said: Behold, I ordain evil against you and devise plans against you; return ye now each one from his evil way, and better your ways and your doings.
12. And they said, This is useless, for we must walk after our own devices, and we must each one do the imagination of his evil heart.
13. Therefore thus hath the Lord said; Ask now among the Gentiles, who has heard such things: the virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.
14. Will anyone leave the snow of the rock of the field that flows from Lebanon? or shall they forsake the singular, cold, flowing waters?