Jeremiah’s First Trip to the Potter (18:1-23): Though observed by Jeremiah rather than performed by Jeremiah, we now hear of another prophetic action that illustrates the prophet’s verbal message. Jeremiah 18:1–4 narrates the action while 18:5–10 interprets the general significance of the action. Verses 11–12 apply the teaching of the general principle specifically to Judah and Judah’s negative response to God’s call for repentance. A poetic oracle registering surprise at the people’s unwillingness to change follows along with a statement of their coming destruction (vv. 13–17). A plot against Jeremiah motivated by the people’s distaste for these negative oracles is disclosed (v. 18), and finally another lament of Jeremiah (vv. 19–23), bemoaning the plots against him and calling on God to …