Jeremiah 18 · Verse 3

Jeremiah 18:3

Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

Jeremiah 18:3, King James Version

Jeremiah 18:3 in other translations

BSB	So I went down to the potter’s house and saw him working at the wheel.
WEB	Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was making something on the wheels.
ASV	Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he was making a work on the wheels.
YLT	and I go down to the potter's house, and lo, he is doing a work on the stones,
DARBY	And I went down to the potter's house; and behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
BBE	Then I went down to the potter's house, and he was doing his work on the stones.
Webster	Then I went down to the potter's house, and behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

What does Jeremiah 18:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

3. wheels--literally, "on both stones." The potter's horizontal lathe consisted of two round plates, the lower one larger, the upper smaller; of stone originally, but afterwards of wood. On the upper the potter moulded the clay into what shapes he pleased. They are found represented in Egyptian remains. In Ex 1:16 alone is the Hebrew word found elsewhere, but in a different sense.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 3 He wrought a work on the wheels - אל האבנים al haabnayim, upon the stones, the potter's wheel being usually made of such, the spindle of the moving stone being placed on a stone below, on which it turned, and supported the stone above, on which the vessel was manufactured, and which alone had a rotatory motion. The potter's wheel in the present day seems to differ very little from that which was in use between two and three thousand years ago.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 18:1-10

God's power over his creatures is represented by the potter. (Jr 18:1-10) The Jews exhorted to repentance, and judgments foretold. (Jr 18:11-17) The prophet appeals to God. (Jr 18:18-23) Verses 1-10 While Jeremiah looks upon the potter's work, God darts into his mind two great truths. God has authority, and power, to form and fashion kingdoms and nations as he pleases. He may dispose of us as he thinks fit; and it…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 18:1-10 →

Jeremiah 18:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וָאֵרֵ֖דva.'e.Redand I went downH3381

בֵּ֣יתbeit[the] house ofH1004

הַיּוֹצֵ֑רhai.yo.Tzerthe potterH3335

וְהִנֵּה־ה֛וּאve.hi.neh-hu'and there! - heH2009

עֹשֶׂ֥ה'o.Seh[was] doingH6213

מְלָאכָ֖הme.la.KhahworkH4399

עַל\־'al-onH5921

הָאָבְנָֽיִם\׃ha.'a.ve.Na.yimthe stonesH70

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 18:3

John 15:14
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Jonah 1:3
But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
Acts 26:19
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

I went.
Jon 1:3; Joh 15:14; Ac 26:19
wheels. or, frames, or seats.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Jeremiah 18:2
Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
Jeremiah 18:3
Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
Jeremiah 18:4
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.

Read all of Jeremiah 18

Jeremiah 18:3 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y descendí á casa del alfarero, y he aquí que él hacía obra sobre la rueda.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et je descendis dans la maison du potier; et voici, il faisait son ouvrage sur son tour.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und ich ging in das Haus des Töpfers hinab, und siehe, er machte eine Arbeit auf der Scheibe.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et descendi in domum figuli, et ecce ipse faciebat opus super rotam.