Psalms 2:9

2:9 You will break them ¹  with an iron scepter; ² 

you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’” ³ 

Isaiah 30:14

30:14 It shatters in pieces like a clay jar,

so shattered to bits that none of it can be salvaged. ⁴ 

Among its fragments one cannot find a shard large enough ⁵ 

to scoop a hot coal from a fire ⁶ 

or to skim off water from a cistern.” ⁷ 

Jeremiah 13:14

13:14 And I will smash them like wine bottles against one another, children and parents alike. ⁸  I will not show any pity, mercy, or compassion. Nothing will keep me from destroying them,’ ⁹  says the Lord.”

Revelation 2:27

2:27 he ¹⁰  will rule ¹¹  them with an iron rod ¹² 

and like clay jars he will break them to pieces, ¹³ 

[2:9]  ¹ tc The LXX reads “you will shepherd them.” This reading, quoted in the Greek text of the NT in Rev 2:27; 12:5; 19:15, assumes a different vocalization of the consonantal Hebrew text and understands the verb as רָעָה (ra’ah, “to shepherd”) rather than רָעָע (ra’a’, “to break”). But the presence of נָפַץ (nafats, “to smash”) in the next line strongly favors the MT vocalization.

[2:9]  ² tn The Hebrew term שֵׁבֶט (shevet) can refer to a “staff” or “rod,” but here it probably refers to the Davidic king’s royal scepter, symbolizing his sovereignty.

[2:9]  ³ sn Like a potter’s jar. Before the Davidic king’s awesome power, the rebellious nations are like fragile pottery.

[30:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “Its shattering is like the shattering of a jug of [i.e., “made by”] potters, [so] shattered one cannot save [any of it].”

[30:14]  ⁵ tn The words “large enough” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[30:14]  ⁶ tn Heb “to remove fire from the place of kindling.”

[30:14]  ⁷ tn On the meaning of גֶבֶא (geveh, “cistern”) see HALOT 170 s.v.

[13:14]  ⁸ tn Or “children along with their parents”; Heb “fathers and children together.”

[13:14]  ⁹ tn Heb “I will not show…so as not to destroy them.”

[2:27]  ¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[2:27]  ¹¹ tn Grk “will shepherd.”

[2:27]  ¹² tn Or “scepter.” The Greek term ῥάβδος (rJabdo") can mean either “rod” or “scepter.”

[2:27]  ¹³ sn A quotation from Ps 2:9 (with the line introducing the quotation containing a partial allusion to Ps 2:8). See also Rev 12:5, 19:15.