The Meaning of Jeremiah 18:6 Explained

Jeremiah 18:6

KJV: 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.

YLT: As this potter am I not able to do to you? O house of Israel, an affirmation of Jehovah. Lo, as clay in the hand of the potter, So are ye in My hand, O house of Israel.

Darby: House of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith Jehovah. Behold, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, house of Israel.

ASV: O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith Jehovah. Behold, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 18:6 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 18:6 mean?

can as potter this not I do with you house of Israel says Yahweh Look as the clay [is] in hand the potter's so [are] you in My hand of Israel -
؟ הֲכַיּוֹצֵ֨ר הַזֶּ֜ה לֹא־ אוּכַ֨ל לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לָכֶ֛ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נְאֻם־ יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֤ה כַחֹ֙מֶר֙ בְּיַ֣ד הַיּוֹצֵ֔ר כֵּן־ אַתֶּ֥ם בְּיָדִ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל ס

؟ הֲכַיּוֹצֵ֨ר  can  as  potter 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵר 
Sense: to form, fashion, frame.
הַזֶּ֜ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
לָכֶ֛ם  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
בֵּ֥ית  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הִנֵּ֤ה  Look 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
כַחֹ֙מֶר֙  as  the  clay  [is] 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹמֶר 
Sense: cement, mortar, clay.
בְּיַ֣ד  in  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
הַיּוֹצֵ֔ר  the  potter's 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵר 
Sense: to form, fashion, frame.
כֵּן־  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
אַתֶּ֥ם  [are]  you 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
בְּיָדִ֖י  in  My  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation