Jeremiah 18 - Introduction

Jeremiah 18:1-23. The potter and the clay

The words and events of chs. 18 20 may all be considered as having Jeremiah 18:1 for their heading. Ch. 18 gives and explains the figure of the potter's clay, and adds the effect upon the people. Ch. 19 gives and applies the figure of the potter's broken vessel, while ch. 20 describes the sufferings of Jeremiah in consequence, and his complaints. But, while ch. 20 arises naturally out of the situation in ch. 19, the connexion between the latter and ch. 18 is purely that which arises from the mention of a potter's vessel in both, and the consequent juxtaposition of the two by an editor of the Book. We should further notice that while 18 and 19 are pretty certainly, to a large extent, genuine, a considerable amount of later insertion is to be found in both. Such an insertion is the passage Jeremiah 18:7-12 (Co. says 5 12, but this extension is unnecessary), inasmuch as those vv. miss the point of the symbol, which is that Jehovah, like the human potter, even when one failure has occurred, cannot be ultimately thwarted, but converts the same material to the shape that He desires. But Jeremiah 18:7 speak of a change in the original intentionof the potter, which may involve the permanent rejectionof his material. It is quite possible, however, that Jeremiah 18:7 are of Jeremiah's authorship, though not originally belonging to this context. See further in introd. note on ch. 19.

Du. needlessly rejects the whole story, as trivial in its character and moral. Gi. retains all but Jeremiah 18:11, which he holds to be an insertion by way of linking Jeremiah 18:10 to Jeremiah 18:13 ff. The hopeful tone of the earlier part of the ch. permits it to be placed in Josiah's time. Jeremiah 18:7 will belong to a later date.

The section may be subdivided as follows.

(i) Jeremiah 18:1. The Lord bade me go and watch how the potter, when his work was marred, converted the same clay into a perfect vessel. So can Jehovah do for Israel. His decrees, whether for the destruction or the prosperity of a people, are conditional upon their conduct. He now remonstrates with Israel, but they refuse to hearken. Their conduct is not according to nature. Snow fails not on the lofty hills, nor the streams that descend from them. But Israel has gone utterly astray, and shall in its consequent desolation be made a warning to all for ever. Jehovah will put them to flight before their enemies. (ii) Jeremiah 18:18. Jeremiah's enemies conspire to circulate slanders to his ruin. He appeals to the Lord to protect him, even as he had once interceded on their behalf. But now let death and sudden destruction come upon them; forgive them not.