15 Shall (A)the ax boast itself against him who chops with it?
Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it?
As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up,
Or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood!

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15 Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it,
    or the saw boast against the one who uses it?(A)
As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up,
    or a club(B) brandish the one who is not wood!

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20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? (A)Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Does not the (B)potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make (C)one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

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20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?(A) “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,(B) ‘Why did you make me like this?’”[a](C) 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:20 Isaiah 29:16; 45:9

Arrogant Assyria Also Judged

“Woe to Assyria, (A)the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.

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“Woe to him who strives with (A)his Maker!
Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth!
(B)Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’
Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands’?

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“Woe to those who quarrel(A) with their Maker,(B)
    those who are nothing but potsherds(C)
    among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,(D)
    ‘What are you making?’(E)
Does your work say,
    ‘The potter has no hands’?(F)

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20 “You(A) are My battle-ax and weapons of war:
For with you I will break the nation in pieces;
With you I will destroy kingdoms;
21 With you I will break in pieces the horse and its rider;
With you I will break in pieces the chariot and its rider;
22 With you also I will break in pieces man and woman;
With you I will break in pieces (B)old and young;
With you I will break in pieces the young man and the maiden;
23 With you also I will break in pieces the shepherd and his flock;
With you I will break in pieces the farmer and his yoke of oxen;
And with you I will break in pieces governors and rulers.

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20 “You are my war club,(A)
    my weapon for battle—
with you I shatter(B) nations,(C)
    with you I destroy kingdoms,
21 with you I shatter horse and rider,(D)
    with you I shatter chariot(E) and driver,
22 with you I shatter man and woman,
    with you I shatter old man and youth,
    with you I shatter young man and young woman,(F)
23 with you I shatter shepherd and flock,
    with you I shatter farmer and oxen,
    with you I shatter governors and officials.(G)

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16 Surely you have things turned around!
Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay;
For shall the (A)thing made say of him who made it,
“He did not make me”?
Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it,
“He has no understanding”?

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16 You turn things upside down,
    as if the potter were thought to be like the clay!(A)
Shall what is formed say to the one who formed(B) it,
    “You did not make me”?
Can the pot say to the potter,(C)
    “You know nothing”?(D)

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“Will you still (A)say before him who slays you,
‘I am a god’?
But you shall be a man, and not a god,
In the hand of him who slays you.

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Will you then say, “I am a god,”
    in the presence of those who kill you?
You will be but a mortal, not a god,(A)
    in the hands of those who slay you.(B)

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13 Arise, O Lord,
Confront him, cast him down;
Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword,
14 With Your hand from men, O Lord,
From men of the world who have their portion in this life,
And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure.
They are satisfied with children,
And leave the rest of their possession for their babes.

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13 Rise up,(A) Lord, confront them, bring them down;(B)
    with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
    from those of this world(C) whose reward is in this life.(D)
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
    may their children gorge themselves on it,
    and may there be leftovers(E) for their little ones.

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