Jeremiah Chapter 13 verse 23 Holy Bible

ASV 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.
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BBE Jeremiah 13:23

Is it possible for the skin of the Ethiopian to be changed, or the markings on the leopard? Then it might be possible for you to do good, who have been trained to do evil.
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DARBY Jeremiah 13:23

Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his spots? [Then] may ye also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.
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KJV 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.
read chapter 13 in KJV

WBT Jeremiah 13:23


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WEB Jeremiah 13:23

Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.
read chapter 13 in WEB

YLT Jeremiah 13:23

Doth a Cushite change his skin? and a leopard his spots? Ye also are able to do good, who are accustomed to do evil.
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Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(23) Can the Ethiopian . . .?--Literally, the Cushite. The meaning of the question is obvious. The evil of Judah was too deep-ingrained to be capable of spontaneous reformation. There remained nothing but the sharp discipline of the exile. The invasion of Tirhakah and Pharaoh-nechoh, the presence of Ethiopians among the servants of the royal household (Jeremiah 38:10), the intercourse with the upper valley of the Nile implied in Zephaniah 3:10 and Psalm 68:31; Psalm 87:4, had made the swarthy forms of Africa familiar objects. Possibly the use of leopard-skins by Ethiopian princes and warriors, as seen on Egyptian monuments and described by Herodotus (vii. 69), had associated the two thoughts together in the prophet's mind. If the king's household were present (as in Jeremiah 13:18), he may have pointed to such an one, Ebedmelech (Jeremiah 38:10), or another so arrayed, in illustration of his words. . . . Parallel Commentaries ...HebrewCan the Ethiopianכּוּשִׁי֙ (kū·šî)Noun - proper - masculine singularStrong's 3569: Cushite -- descendant of Cushchangeהֲיַהֲפֹ֤ךְ (hă·ya·hă·p̄ōḵ)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularStrong's 2015: To turn about, over, to change, overturn, return, perverthis skin,עוֹר֔וֹ (‘ō·w·rōw)Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularStrong's 5785: Skin, hide, leatheror the leopardוְנָמֵ֖ר (wə·nā·mêr)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularStrong's 5246: A leopardhis spots?חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָ֑יו (ḥă·ḇar·bu·rō·ṯāw)Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularStrong's 2272: A streak, as on the tigerNeitherגַּם־ (gam-)ConjunctionStrong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, andare youאַתֶּם֙ (’at·tem)Pronoun - second person masculine pluralStrong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and youableתּוּכְל֣וּ (tū·ḵə·lū)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralStrong's 3201: To be able, have powerto do good—לְהֵיטִ֔יב (lə·hê·ṭîḇ)Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructStrong's 3190: To be good, well, glad, or pleasingyou who are accustomedלִמֻּדֵ֖י (lim·mu·ḏê)Adjective - masculine plural constructStrong's 3928: Instructedto doing evil.הָרֵֽעַ׃ (hā·rê·a‘)Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructStrong's 7489: To spoil, to make, good for, nothing, badJump to PreviousAble Accustomed Change Changed Cushite Ethiopian Evil Good Leopard Possible Skin Spots Trained