Genesis 2:8Genesis 41:30
Isaiah (Isaiah 30:14 ) used the image of a sherd as a sign of the worthlessness of ancient Judah. The psalmist (Psalm 22:15 ) used the image of a dry potsherd as a simile for some physical illness he was experiencing.
Since the Hebrew word translated “potsherd” in the above passages can also mean “earthen vessel” in other contexts (compare Leviticus 14:5 ,Leviticus 14:5,14:50; Numbers 5:17 ), it is not always clear as to which meaning is to be preferred. Such is the case in Proverbs 26:23 where a comparison of the NRSV translation (“earthen vessel”) with the KJV (“potsherd”) highlights the problem. Elsewhere, textual confusion compounds the problem. In Isaiah 45:9 , the Hebrew text literally reads: “a potsherd (or “earthen vessel”) with potsherds (or “earthen vessels”) of ground.” In neither case is the text clear, though the symbolism of the futility of a person striving with God is obviously intended.
Finally, the obscure text in Ezekiel 23:24 assigned Judah the same fate as her sister, Samaria. She would not only drink the cup of wrath but also “gnaw its sherds” (NRSV). See Pottery; Archaeology.
John C. H. Laughlin
The product of over 6 years of work by hundreds of people, the Holman Bible Dictionary manages to be readable and easy to use, yet take advantage of the finest modern Bible scholarship without heavy technical language. The over 6,600 entries includes extensive cross-referencing of related articles, and quotes from 6 different Bible translations.Wikipedia
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