Beth
“The precious children
Of Zion!
They are worth
Their weight
In fine gold!
How they are reckoned
As earthen pots!
They are the work
Of a potter’s hands!”
This author turns to the precious children of Zion, who are worth their weight in gold. They are the earthen jugs of the potter who made them. Thus the God made children of Jerusalem are worth more than gold. This verse starts with the Hebrew consonant letter Beth in this acrostic poem.
“Then the word of Yahweh
Came to me.
‘O house of Israel!
Can I not do with you
Just as this potter has done?’
Says Yahweh.
‘Just like the clay
In the potter’s hand,
So are you
In my hand.
O house of Israel!’”
As Jeremiah was at the potter’s house, the word of Yahweh came to him. Yahweh said that he could do to the house of Israel as the potter had done, since Israel was just like clay in his hand, similar to the clay in the potter’s hand.
“The word came to Jeremiah
From Yahweh.
‘Come!
Go down to the potter’s house!
There I will let you hear my words.’
So I went down to the potter’s house.
There he was working at his wheel.
The vessel he was making of clay
Was spoiled
In the potter’s hand.
He reworked it into another vessel.
As it seemed good to him to do.”
Yahweh told Jeremiah to go to the potter’s house, probably in the southern section of Jerusalem. Jeremiah did just as Yahweh wanted him to do, as he went to the potter’s house. There he saw the potter working with clay at his pottery wheel. However, the potter spoiled the first jug that he was making, so he made it into another kind of vessel instead of throwing it away. So far, this is a pretty straight forward story.
“Every master artisan
Labors by night
As well as by day.
Those who cut the signets of seals,
Each is diligent
In making a great variety.
They set their heart
On painting a lifelike image.
They are careful
To finish their work.
The smith sits by the anvil.
He is intent on his iron-work.
The breath of the fire
Melts his flesh.
He struggles
With the heat of the furnace.
The sound of the hammer
Deafens his ears.
His eyes are
On the pattern of the object.
He sets his heart
On finishing his handiwork.
He is careful
To complete its decoration.
The potter sits at his work.
He turns the wheel
With his feet.
He is always deeply concerned
Over his products.
He produces them in quantity.
He moulds the clay with his arm.
He makes it pliable with his feet.
He sets his heart
To finish the glazing,
He takes care
In firing the kiln furnace.”
Sirach then explained in detail about the various skilled artists who work day and night to finish their creative works. First, there were those who made the various colorful painted seals as lifelike as possible. Then there were the blacksmiths who worked in iron with a hammer, anvil, and a hot furnace that affected their hands, ears, and eyes. Finally, there was the potter who made lots of different products. He molded the clay with his hands and feet. He finished it off by glazing it in the kiln furnace. All these artisans worked diligently until they completed their products.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 