The Broken Flask

19 Thus says the Lord, “Go, buy ^(A)a potter's earthenware ^(B)flask, and take some of ^(C)the elders of the people and some of ^(D)the elders of the priests,

¹¹ And before them stood ^(A)seventy men of ^(B)the elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of ^(C)Shaphan standing among them. Each had his censer in his hand, and ^(D)the smoke of the cloud of incense went up. ¹² Then he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing ^(E)in the dark, each ^(F)in his room of pictures? For they say, ^(G)‘The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land.’”

² “Arise, and go down to ^(A)the potter's house, and there I will let you hear^[a] my words.” ³ So I went down to ^(B)the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. ⁴ And the vessel he was making of clay was ^(C)spoiled in the potter's hand, and ^(D)he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

Elders Appointed to Aid Moses

¹⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me ^(A)seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and ^(B)officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you.

Treasure in Jars of Clay

⁷ But we have this treasure in ^(A)jars of clay, ^(B)to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

⁵ On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, ⁶ with ^(A)Annas the high priest and ^(B)Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.

⁴¹ So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, ^42 (A)“He saved others; ^(B)he cannot save himself. ^(C)He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.