An earthen vessel, pottery, or potsherd β a broken piece of clay. Used literally and figuratively for human frailty.
Cheres is the word of human fragility. Job scrapes sores with a potsherd. Isaiah 45:9: 'Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth.' Paul echoes: 'We have this treasure in earthen vessels.' The weakness of the vessel magnifies the power of the Maker.