Jeremiah 13:23 kjv
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
Jeremiah 13:23 nkjv
Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.
Jeremiah 13:23 niv
Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.
Jeremiah 13:23 esv
Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.
Jeremiah 13:23 nlt
Can an Ethiopian change the color of his skin?
Can a leopard take away its spots?
Neither can you start doing good,
for you have always done evil.
Jeremiah 13 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 13:23 | Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. | Jeremiah 13:23 |
| Romans 3:23 | For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; | Romans 3:23 (Universality of Sin) |
| Romans 7:14-20 | For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. ... if I do that which I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me. | Romans 7:14-20 (Struggle with Sin) |
| Galatians 3:22 | But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. | Galatians 3:22 (All under Sin) |
| 1 John 1:8 | If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. | 1 John 1:8 (Self-deception) |
| Jeremiah 2:22 | For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD. | Jeremiah 2:22 (Ineffectual Cleansing) |
| Hosea 4:17 | Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. | Hosea 4:17 (Rejection of God) |
| Isaiah 1:16 | Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; | Isaiah 1:16 (Call to Repentance) |
| Proverbs 23:35 | And thou wilt say, I have not sinned, yet they know my adulteries. | Proverbs 23:35 (Denial of Sin) |
| Jeremiah 7:23-26 | But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt, unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them; Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did more | |
| Proverbs 14:4 | Where no oxen are, the crib is empty: but by the strength of an ox increase is gotten. | Proverbs 14:4 (Result of Effort) |
| John 8:34 | Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. | John 8:34 (Servitude to Sin) |
| Acts 13:10 | And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? | Acts 13:10 (Perversion of Ways) |
| Jeremiah 6:13 | Because from the least of them even unto the greatest of them is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest they deal falsely. | Jeremiah 6:13 (Widespread Corruption) |
| 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 | Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. | 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (Transformation Possible) |
| Romans 6:19 | I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have therefore yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. | Romans 6:19 (Yielding Members) |
| Philippians 4:13 | I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. | Philippians 4:13 (Strength in Christ) |
| 2 Corinthians 5:17 | Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. | 2 Corinthians 5:17 (New Creation) |
| Isaiah 43:25 | I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. | Isaiah 43:25 (Divine Forgiveness) |
| Ezekiel 36:26 | A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you an heart of flesh. | Ezekiel 36:26 (New Heart) |
| Acts 2:38 | Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. | Acts 2:38 (Repentance and Baptism) |
Jeremiah 13 verses
Jeremiah 13 23 Meaning
This verse states a stark rhetorical question: Can an Ethiopian change their skin or a leopard change its spots? The answer, implied, is no. This inability serves as an analogy for Judah's deeply ingrained sinfulness, suggesting that their corrupted nature makes repentance and change from their own wicked ways virtually impossible.
Jeremiah 13 23 Context
Jeremiah 13 prophesies against Judah, detailing the consequences of their persistent idolatry and disobedience. The chapter describes Jeremiah's symbolic act of hiding a linen girdle and its subsequent corruption as a metaphor for Judah's spiritual decay and separation from God. Verse 23 serves as a concluding assessment of Judah's hardened state, emphasizing the deeply ingrained nature of their sin. The historical backdrop is the impending Babylonian exile, a divine judgment for their spiritual corruption.
Jeremiah 13 23 Word analysis
- Can (הֲיַֽהֲפֹךְ - hăyahǎfōkh): From the root הָפַךְ (hāphakh), meaning "to turn," "to overturn," "to change." Here, it poses a hypothetical impossibility, indicating a fundamental inability.
- the Ethiopian (כּוּשִּׁי - kūshshī): Refers to a person from Cush, which historically encompassed regions south of Egypt, often associated with darker skin pigmentation.
- change (יְשַׁנֶּה - yəshannēh): From the root שׁנה (shānah), meaning "to change," "to alter." This word directly addresses alteration of intrinsic characteristics.
- his skin (עוֹרֹו - ʿōrōw): Possessive form of עוֹר (ʿōr), meaning "skin." This points to an inherent, outward attribute.
- or (אִם - im): A conjunction used for alternative clauses, emphasizing the two parts of the question.
- the leopard (נָמֵר - nāmēr): The word for leopard, an animal known for its distinctive spotted coat.
- his spots (נְמֵרֹתָיו - nəmērōthāyw): Plural possessive of נָמֵר (nāmēr), referring to the leopard's characteristic spots. This signifies innate patterns and markings.
- then may ye also (כֵּן גַּם־אַתֶּם - kēn gam-attēm): "Thus also you." It establishes a parallel, applying the impossibility to the audience.
- do good (הֵיטִיב - hēytīv): From the root יִיטִיב (yīṭīv), meaning "to do good," "to make good," "to amend." The question is whether they are capable of performing good actions.
- that are accustomed (הַלְּמֻדִים - halləmūdim): Passive participle of למד (lamad), meaning "to learn," "to be taught," "to be accustomed." It implies habitual, ingrained practice.
- to do evil (הֲרָעֹות - harāʿōth): The infinitive construct of the root רע (raʿ), meaning "evil," "bad," "wicked." It signifies the established practice of wickedness.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots?: This rhetorical question is constructed with two parallel impossibilities drawing from nature. The Ethiopian's skin color and the leopard's spots are presented as unchangeable, intrinsic features. The parallel structure amplifies the statement of inherent, fixed characteristics.
- then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil: This second part applies the principle of the first to the people of Judah. Their ingrained habit of doing evil ("accustomed to do evil") makes the possibility of doing good as unlikely as an Ethiopian changing their skin color. The structure emphasizes how deeply their sin has become their identity and practiced behavior.
Jeremiah 13 23 Bonus section
The effectiveness of Jeremiah's analogy relies on universally recognized and immutable characteristics in nature. These natural attributes, understood by all, serve as potent symbols of ingrained habit and unchangeable character. While the analogy speaks of apparent human impossibility in self-transformation from deep-seated sin, New Testament passages like 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and 2 Corinthians 5:17 offer a different perspective. These verses indicate that while human efforts may be insufficient, divine transformation through Christ provides a new nature capable of true change and spiritual renewal, a testament to God’s redemptive power which transcends natural limitations. This verse starkly depicts the consequence of persistent rebellion, but the broader biblical narrative provides a hope of transformation through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Jeremiah 13 23 Commentary
Jeremiah uses a powerful analogy drawn from observable natural phenomena to illustrate the deep-seated corruption within Judah. The verse highlights that sin, when habitual, can become as integral to one's character as physical features are to a person or animal. The comparison to an Ethiopian's skin and a leopard's spots suggests that Judah’s addiction to sin has transformed their nature, making genuine repentance and change exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, without divine intervention. This pronouncement reflects the gravity of their apostasy, suggesting that their corrupt ways have become their identity, a pattern too deeply etched to be altered by their own efforts alone. It underscores that the problem is not just outward action, but an inner disposition that has become second nature.