Focused Passage

Jeremiah 13:23-27

The Ruined Belt and the Shame of Judah’s Pride

The chapter moves from the symbolic ruined linen belt, to the wine jars filled with drunken judgment, to a call to humble oneself before darkness falls, to royal humiliation and exile, to the exposure of Judah's shame, and finally to the devastating question of whether those habituated to evil can change themselves.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

23Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Neither are you able to do good—you who are accustomed to doing evil.

24“I will scatter you like chaff driven by the desert wind.

25This is your lot, the portion I have measured to you,” declares the LORD, “because you have forgotten Me and trusted in falsehood.

26So I will pull your skirts up over your face, that your shame may be seen.

27Your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution on the hills and in the fields—I have seen your detestable acts. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will you remain unclean?”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 23

Original words

Can the Ethiopianכּוּשִׁי֙H3569Noun - proper - masculine singularchangeהֲיַהֲפֹ֤ךְH2015Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularhis skinעוֹר֔וֹH5785Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularor the leopardוְנָמֵ֖רH5246Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularhis spotsחֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָ֑יוH2272Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularNeitherגַּם־H1571Conjunctionare youאַתֶּם֙H859Pronoun - second person masculine pluralableתּוּכְל֣וּH3201Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralto do goodלְהֵיטִ֔יבH3190Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructyou who are accustomedלִמֻּדֵ֖יH3928Adjective - masculine plural constructto doing evilהָרֵֽעַ׃H7489Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct

BSB notes

  • Hebrew that Cushite; that is, probably a person from the upper Nile region
Verse 24

Original words

I will scatter youוַאֲפִיצֵ֖םH6327Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plurallike chaffכְּקַשׁ־H7179Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singulardrivenעוֹבֵ֑רH5674Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularby the desertמִדְבָּֽר׃H4057Noun - masculine singularwindלְר֖וּחַH7307Preposition-l | Noun - common singular construct
Verse 25

Original words

Thisזֶ֣הH2088Pronoun - masculine singularis your lotגוֹרָלֵ֧ךְH1486Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singularthe portionמְנָת־H4521Noun - feminine singular constructI haveמֵֽאִתִּ֖יH854Preposition-m | Direct object marker | first person common singularmeasured to youמִדַּ֛יִךְH4055Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularbecauseאֲשֶׁר֙H834Pronoun - relativeyou have forgotten Meשָׁכַ֣חַתְּH7911Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular-אוֹתִ֔יH853Direct object marker | first person common singularand trustedוַֽתִּבְטְחִ֖יH982Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person feminine singularin falsehoodבַּשָּֽׁקֶר׃H8267Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 26

Original words

Soוְגַם־H1571ConjunctionIאֲנִ֛יH589Pronoun - first person common singularwill pull your skirtsשׁוּלַ֖יִךְH7757Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularupחָשַׂ֥פְתִּיH2834Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularoverעַל־H5921Prepositionyour faceפָּנָ֑יִךְH6440Noun - common plural construct | second person feminine singularthat your shameקְלוֹנֵֽךְ׃H7036Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singularmay be seenוְנִרְאָ֖הH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 27

Original words

Your adulteriesנִֽאֻפַ֤יִךְH5004Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularand lustful neighingsוּמִצְהֲלוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙H4684Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person feminine singularyour shamelessזִמַּ֣תH2154Noun - feminine singular constructprostitutionזְנוּתֵ֔ךְH2184Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositionthe hillsגְּבָעוֹת֙H1389Noun - feminine plural[and] in the fieldsבַּשָּׂדֶ֔הH7704Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularI have seenרָאִ֖יתִיH7200Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularyour detestable actsשִׁקּוּצָ֑יִךְH8251Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularWoeא֥וֹיH188Interjectionto youלָךְ֙Preposition | second person feminine singularO Jerusalemיְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םH3389Noun - proper - feminine singularHow longאַחֲרֵ֥יH310Preposition. . .מָתַ֖יH4970Interrogative. . .עֹֽד׃פH5750Adverbwill you remainתִטְהֲרִ֔יH2891Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singularuncleanלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particle

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.