This is the word
The phrase "This is the word" signifies a divine communication, a message that is not of human origin but from God Himself. In Hebrew, the term for "word" is "dabar," which implies not just a spoken word but an active, dynamic force. It is a reminder that God's word is living and powerful, as seen throughout Scripture. The "word" of God is foundational, as it was through His word that the universe was created (Genesis 1). This phrase sets the stage for the authority and importance of the message that follows.

that came
The phrase "that came" indicates the movement of God's word from the divine realm to the human realm. In Hebrew, the verb "came" is "hayah," which can also mean "to happen" or "to become." This suggests that the word of God is not static but is an event, an occurrence that brings about change. It emphasizes the active role of God in history, intervening and communicating with His people. This divine initiative underscores the grace of God in reaching out to humanity.

to Jeremiah
"To Jeremiah" identifies the recipient of God's word. Jeremiah, whose name means "Yahweh exalts" or "appointed by Yahweh," was a prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the people of Judah. His role as a prophet was both a privilege and a burden, as he often faced opposition and persecution. Jeremiah's life and ministry remind us of the cost of obedience and the courage required to speak God's truth in a resistant world. His faithfulness serves as an example for believers to stand firm in their calling.

from the LORD
The phrase "from the LORD" confirms the divine origin of the message. The term "LORD" in all capital letters represents the Hebrew name "YHWH," often pronounced as "Yahweh." This is the covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal, self-existent nature and His faithfulness to His promises. It is a reminder of God's personal relationship with His people and His sovereignty over all creation. The use of "LORD" here assures the reader of the reliability and authority of the message, as it comes from the One who is unchanging and true.

XVIII.

(1) The word which came to Jeremiah.--The message that follows comes in close sequence upon that of the preceding chapter, i.e., probably before the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim. It has the character of a last warning to king and people, and its rejection is followed in its turn by the more decisive use of the same symbol in Jeremiah 19

Verses 1-6. - The simple and familiar craft of the potter becomes a parable of religious truth (comp. Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 45:9; Isaiah 64:8; Ecclus 33:13; Romans 9:20; and the account of man's creation in Genesis 2:7, which has doubtless given rise to the figure). God has the sovereign right to do as he wills with his own handiwork; thus much can be expressed by the figure. But the moral element in Jeremiah's teaching stands outside this, viz. that the Divine action is governed, not by mere caprice, but a regard for character. "The thought is not so much the arbitrariness as the patience of God, who will bring men to be what he would have them be in the end, as the potter eventually twists the clay to the shape he originally intended, stubborn as the clay may be." But whether Jeremiah meant the lesson which Mr. Maurice deduces from his words may be gravely doubted. It is not of individuals that the prophet is thinking, but of the nation, and not of the nation as destined to be all but certainly saved, but as placed before a serious and awful decision. (For different lessons derived from the same figure, see the ' Rabbi Ben Ezra' of Browning.) Egypt and Palestine were, as it seems, at one in the extreme simplicity of the potter's art. Dr. Birch has given us an account of the Egyptian potter at his work, as he appears in the pictorial representations at Beni Hassan ('Ancient Pottery,' pp. 33-35), and Dr. Thomson has described the procedure of a potter in modern Palestine ('The Land and the Book,' p. 520). The chief difference between them seems to be that in Egypt the wheel was turned with the left hand, and the vase shaped with the right, while in modern Palestine the wheel is turned with the fool "Taking a lump in his hand," says Dr. Thomson, "he placed it on the top of the wheel (which revolves horizontally), and smoothed it into a low cone, like the upper end of a sugar-loaf; then thrusting his thumb into the top of it, he opened a hole down through the center, and this he constantly widened by pressing the edges of the revolving cone between his hands. As it enlarged and became thinner, he gave it whatever shape he pleased with the utmost ease and expedition." It should be observed that in ver. 3 the "wheels," or rather "two wheels," spoken of are simply the two round plates which formed the horizontal lathe of the potter.

Parallel Commentaries ...


This is the word
הַדָּבָר֙ (had·dā·ḇār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

that
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

came
הָיָ֣ה (hā·yāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

to
אֶֽל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Jeremiah
יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ (yir·mə·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3414: Jeremiah -- 'Yah loosens', the name of a number of Israelites

from the LORD:
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 18:1 The word which came to Jeremiah (Jer.)