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Jeremiah 19:10,11
Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee, …

Jeremiah 18:2-4
Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words…

Jeremiah 32:14
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days.

the ancients of the people.

Jeremiah 26:17
Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying,

Numbers 11:16
And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.

1 Chronicles 24:4-6
And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; andthus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazarthere were sixteen chief men of the house oftheir fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers…

Go and buy a clay jar from a potter:
The instruction to purchase a clay jar is symbolic. In ancient Israel, pottery was a common household item, and the potter's work was well understood by the people. The clay jar represents the nation of Israel, fragile and shaped by the hands of the potter, who symbolizes God (Isaiah 64:8). The act of buying the jar signifies the intentionality and purpose behind the forthcoming prophetic action. This imagery is also a precursor to the breaking of the jar, symbolizing the impending judgment and destruction due to Israel's disobedience.

Take some of the elders of the people and leaders of the priests:
The inclusion of elders and priests highlights the communal and religious significance of the message. Elders were respected leaders within the community, and priests were religious authorities. Their presence would lend credibility and gravity to the prophetic act, ensuring that the message reached both the civic and religious spheres of society. This gathering of leaders is reminiscent of other biblical instances where leaders are called to witness significant events or judgments (e.g.,Deuteronomy 31:28). It underscores the collective responsibility and accountability of the nation's leaders in guiding the people according to God's covenant.

“Thus says the LORD” is the prophetic formula that places absolute authority behind every word that follows (Jeremiah 1:9;Isaiah 1:2). Jeremiah is not offering personal opinion; he is relaying the very speech of God, the Creator whose word never fails (Isaiah 55:10-11). By opening with this declaration, the passage:

- Reminds hearers that obedience is not optional (Deuteronomy 28:1-2).

- Underscores the unchanging reliability of God’s warnings and promises (Malachi 3:6;Hebrews 6:17-18).

- Sets the stage for a vivid object lesson that carries divine weight, not mere symbolism.

The Lord instructs Jeremiah to purchase a finished earthenware vessel—fragile, inexpensive, yet useful. This deliberate act recalls the previous scene in the potter’s house where the clay was still moldable (Jeremiah 18:1-6). Now the clay is hardened; its shape is set. The choice of a completed jar teaches several truths:

- Judah has moved from pliable to fixed, refusing repentance despite repeated calls (2 Kings 17:13-14).

- Once hardened, the nation is subject to breaking; a jar that shatters cannot be repaired (Jeremiah 19:10-11).

- The potter theme affirms God’s sovereign right over His creation (Isaiah 45:9;Romans 9:21).

- Purchasing the jar shows that God’s judgment is not rash; He takes deliberate steps, giving visible warning before acting (Amos 3:7).

Jeremiah is told to bring representatives from both civic and religious spheres, ensuring that the message is witnessed by those responsible for guiding the nation (Exodus 3:16;Jeremiah 26:10-11). Their inclusion highlights:

- Accountability: the shepherds have led the flock astray and must hear God’s verdict firsthand (Jeremiah 23:1-2;Ezekiel 34:1-6).

- Public testimony: multiple witnesses establish every matter (Deuteronomy 19:15;2 Corinthians 13:1).

- Opportunity for national repentance: if leaders heed the warning, people may follow (Joel 2:16-17).

- Inevitable judgment if they persist in unbelief (Jeremiah 5:5;Matthew 23:13).

Jeremiah 19:1 launches a prophetic sign-act grounded in God’s unchallengeable word. The Lord’s command to buy a fragile clay jar illustrates Judah’s hardened state and approaching destruction, while the summons of elders and priests places responsibility squarely on the nation’s leaders. Together these details affirm that God’s warnings are clear, His sovereignty is absolute, and repentance remains the only path to avoid the shattering judgment that unyielding sin invites.

(1)And get a potter's earthen bottle.--The word for "get"involvesbuyingas the process. The similitude--one might better call it, the parable dramatised--represents the darker side of the imagery ofJeremiah 18:3-4. There the vessel was still on the potter's wheel, capable of being re-shaped. Now we have the vessel which has been baked and hardened. No change is possible. If it is unfit for the uses for which it was designed, there is nothing left but to break it. As such it became now the fit symbol of the obdurate people of Israel. Their polity, their nationality, their religious system, had to be broken up. The word for "vessel" indicates a large earthen jar with a narrow neck, the "cruse" used for honey in1Kings 14:3. Its form,bakbuk,clearly intended to represent the gurgling sound of the water as it was poured out, is interesting as an example ofonomatop?iain the history of language.

Take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests.--The elders. and therefore the representatives of the civil and ecclesiastical rulers, were to be the witnesses of this acted prophecy of the destruction of all that they held most precious. The word "take" is not in the Hebrew, but either some such verb has to be supplied. or the verb "go" has to be carried on, "Let the ancients . . . go with thee."