Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  4000 Creation  »  4300 Metals and minerals  »  4315 clay

Clay was a basic building material in biblical times and clay pottery was widely used.

Clay pottery

Moulded by potters

Jeremiah 18:3-4 See also Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 41:25; Isaiah 45:9

Used to make pots

Leviticus 6:28 See also Leviticus 11:33; Leviticus 14:5,50; Leviticus 15:12; Lamentations 4:2

Used to make jars

Jeremiah 19:1-3 See also Numbers 5:17; Jeremiah 32:14; 2 Corinthians 4:7

Other uses of clay

To make idols

Daniel 2:31-35 See also Daniel 2:41-45

To make moulds

1 Kings 7:46 pp 2 Chronicles 4:17

To make bricks

Nahum 3:14 See also Jeremiah 43:9

In plastering

Leviticus 14:42

To make furnaces

Psalm 12:6

To seal documents

Job 38:14

Clay tablets were used for writing on

Ezekiel 4:1

Clay was a relatively weak material

Job 13:12 See also Job 4:18-19

Clay was a very common material

Job 27:16 See also 2 Timothy 2:20

God and his people compared to a potter and the clay

Isaiah 64:8 See also Job 10:9; Job 33:6; Jeremiah 18:6; Romans 9:19-21

See also

5222  baking
5239  bricks
5445  potters & pottery
5574  tablet
5591  treasure
8768  idolatry