Commentary on Jeremiah Volume 1 John Calvin (continued)
Chapter
Lecture Seventieth
Jeremiah 18:1-6
1. The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
1. Sermo qui fait ad Jeremiam a Jehova, dicendo,
2. Arise, and go down to the potter's house; and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
2. Surge, et descende in domum figuli, et faciam audire 448 te verba mea.
3. Then I went down to the potter's house, and behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
3. Et descendi in domum figuli, et ecce ipse faciens opus super lapide (super typo; alii vertunt, super rotam:)
4. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it
4. Et corruptum fuit vas, quod ipse faciebat ex luto (lutum, ad verbum) in manu figuli; et reversus est, et fecit vas aliud sicut rectum fuit in oculis figuli ut faceret:
5. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
5. Et fuit sermo Jehovae ad me, dicendo, 6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
6. Annon sicut figulus hic potero vobis facere, domus Israel? dicit Jehova: ecce sicut lutum in manu figuli, ita vos in manu mea, domus Israel.
The sum of what is here taught is, that as the Jews gloried in God's singular favor, which yet had been conferred on them for a different purpose, even that they might be his sacred heritage, it was necessary to take from them a confidence of this kind; 448Both the Septuagint and the Vulgate improperly render the verb "thou shalt hear;" but the Targum retains the causative sense, "I will cause thee to hear." — Ed.