The Metaphor of God as Potter

From Reconciling understandings of Scripture and Science
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In the language of the Bible, all of humankind as made from the dust or from earth or clay by God's own hands. Sometimes the image of creating pottery is made explicit: God is the potter, we are the clay.

Two potting techniques are specifically referred to: molding by hand, and throwing on a wheel. Examples are Elihu's reference to himself as God's pinch-pot (Job 33:6, q.v. for BASF citation) and Jeremiah 18, where the potter is using a wheel.