The Meaning of Jeremiah 13:23 Explained

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.

YLT: Doth a Cushite change his skin? and a leopard his spots? Ye also are able to do good, who are accustomed to do evil.

Darby: Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.

ASV: Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Can the Ethiopian  change  his skin,  or the leopard  his spots?  [then] may  ye also do good,  that are accustomed  to do evil. 

What does Jeremiah 13:23 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Jerusalemites were so steeped in evil that it was impossible for them to change. They could no more change then than the dark Ethiopian could change the color of his skin or the leopard his spots. They had passed the point of no return; repentance was now impossible for them (cf. Hebrews 6:4-6).
"Here is a classic example of loss of freedom of the will through persistent sinning. Sin becomes natural. Jeremiah is speaking of the force of habit, not denying freedom of choice (cf. John 8:34)." [1]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 13

1  By the type of a linen belt, hidden at Euphrates,
9  God prefigures the destruction of his people
12  By the parable of bottles filled with wine he foretells their drunkenness in misery
15  He exhorts to prevent their future judgments
22  He shows their abominations are the cause thereof

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 13:23 mean?

Can change the Ethiopian his skin or the leopard its spots [Then] also you may do good who are accustomed to do evil
הֲיַהֲפֹ֤ךְ כּוּשִׁי֙ עוֹר֔וֹ וְנָמֵ֖ר ؟ חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָ֑יו גַּם־ אַתֶּם֙ תּוּכְל֣וּ לְהֵיטִ֔יב לִמֻּדֵ֖י הָרֵֽעַ

הֲיַהֲפֹ֤ךְ  Can  change 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָפַךְ  
Sense: to turn, overthrow, overturn.
כּוּשִׁי֙  the  Ethiopian 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כּוּשִׁי  
Sense: one of the descendants of Cush the grandson of Noah through Ham and a member of that nation or people.
עוֹר֔וֹ  his  skin 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֹור  
Sense: skin, hide.
וְנָמֵ֖ר  or  the  leopard 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָמֵר  
Sense: leopard.
؟ חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָ֑יו  its  spots 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֲבַרְבֻּרֹות  
Sense: spots, stripe, mark.
גַּם־  [Then]  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
לְהֵיטִ֔יב  do  good 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
לִמֻּדֵ֖י  who  are  accustomed 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: לִמֻּד  
Sense: taught, learned, discipled.
הָרֵֽעַ  to  do  evil 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: מֵרֵעַ 
Sense: to be bad, be evil.