And the vessel that he made of clay,.... Which is the matter the vessel is made of:
was marred in the hand of the potter; while he was working it; either it fell, as the Septuagint version renders it, out of his hands, or from the beam on which it was laid; or was spoiled by some means or other, so that it was not fit for the purpose he first intended it: or the words should be read, according to some copies, "and the vessel was marred which he made, as clay in the hand of the potter" r; while it was clay; or moist, as Jarchi interprets it; and while it was in his hands, forming and fashioning it:
so he made it again another vessel; put it into another form and shape it would better serve:
as seemed good to the potter to make [it]; just as he pleased, and as his judgment in his art directed him; he having power over the clay to mould it as he would, and as it best answered so to do.
r ונשחת הכלי אשר הוא עשה כחמר ביד היוצר "sed corruptum est vas quod ille ficiens (erat) sicud lutum (solet) in manu figuli", Schmidt, Montanus. So Abarbinel; and thus it is read in the margin of our Bibles.