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King James Version
Jeremiah 13:23
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Can the Cushite change his skin,or a leopard his spots?If so, you might be able to do what is good,you who are instructed in evil.
Can the Kushite change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.
"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, Or the leopard his spots? Then you as well can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil.
Can a person from Cush change the color of his skin? Can a leopard change his spots? In the same way, Jerusalem, you cannot change and do good, because you are accustomed to doing evil.
"Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to evil and even trained to do it.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.
Can the blacke More change his skin? or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do euill.
Can the Ethiopian change his skinOr the leopard his spots?Then you also can do goodWho are accustomed to doing evil.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Neither are you able to do good-you who are accustomed to doing evil.
Can you ever change and do what's right? Can people change the color of their skin, or can a leopard remove its spots? If so, then maybe you can change and learn to do right.
Can an Ethiopian change his skin? or a leopard its spots? If they can, then you can do good, who are so accustomed to doing evil.
Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his spots? [Then] may ye also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.
A black man cannot change the color of his skin, and a leopard cannot change its spots. In the same way, Jerusalem, you cannot change and do good. You always do bad things.
Just as a Hindu cannot change his skin or a leopard his spots, you also cannot do good because you are accustomed to do evil.
Can people change the color of their skin, or a leopard remove its spots? If they could, then you that do nothing but evil could learn to do what is right.
Can a Cushite change his skin, or a leopard his spots? Then you also will be able to do good, who are accustomed to doing evil.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then you also may do good who are accustomed to doing evil.
For like as the man of Inde maye chaunge his skynne, & the cat of the mountayne hir spottes: so maye ye that be exercised in euell, do good.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
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.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
Can the Ethiopian change his skinne? or the leopard his spots? then may ye also doe good, that are accustomed to doe euill.
May a man of Inde chaunge his skinne, and the cat of the mountayne her spottes? so, may ye that be exercised in euyll, do good?
If the Ethiopian shall change his skin, or the leopardess her spots, then shall ye be able to do good, having learnt evil.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
If a man of Ethiopie mai chaunge his skyn, ether a pard mai chaunge hise dyuersitees, and ye moun do wel, whanne ye han lerned yuel.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may you also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? [then] may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
But there is little hope for you ever doing good, you who are so accustomed to doing evil. Can an Ethiopian change the color of his skin? Can a leopard remove its spots?
Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.
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.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good who are used to doing wrong.
Can Ethiopians change their skin or leopards their spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.
Can the Ethiopian change, his skin, Or the leopard his spots? Even, ye, may be able to do right, Who are accustomed e to do wrong.
If the Ethiopian can change his skin, or the leopard his spots: you also may do well, when you have learned evil.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.
Doth a Cushite change his skin? and a leopard his spots? Ye also are able to do good, who are accustomed to do evil.
Can an African change skin? Can a leopard get rid of its spots? So what are the odds on you doing good, you who are so long-practiced in evil?
"Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Ethiopian: Jeremiah 2:22, Jeremiah 2:30, Jeremiah 5:3, Jeremiah 6:29, Jeremiah 6:30, Jeremiah 17:9, Proverbs 27:22, Isaiah 1:5, Matthew 19:24-28
accustomed: Heb. taught, Jeremiah 9:5
Reciprocal: Judges 13:1 - in the sight 1 Samuel 19:21 - sent messengers 2 Kings 17:40 - they did not Proverbs 2:19 - None Isaiah 32:6 - the vile Jeremiah 38:7 - Ethiopian Ezekiel 23:43 - old Amos 9:7 - ye not Mark 10:25 - General John 5:44 - can John 6:44 - man Acts 8:27 - a man Romans 8:7 - neither 2 Peter 2:14 - that cannot 1 John 2:29 - that every Revelation 13:2 - was like
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Can the Ethiopian change his skin?.... Or, "the Cushite"; either, as the Arabic version, the "Abyssine", the inhabitant of the eastern Ethiopia; properly an Ethiopian, as the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render it; or, the "Chusean Arabian"; the inhabitant of Arabia Chusea, which was nearer Judea than the other Ethiopia, and better known, and which were of a dark complexion. The Targum renders it, the Indian; and so does the Syriac version. In the Misna i mention is made of Indian garments, with which the high priest was clothed on the day of atonement; upon which the gloss k is, that they were of linen of the country of India; and which is the land of Cush (or Ethiopia), as Jonathan Ben Uzziel interprets Jeremiah 13:23
"can the Cushite, the Indian, change his skin?''
and it is highly probable, that, in the time of Jeremiah, no other India was known by the Jews but Ethiopia, or Arabia Chusea, and no other black people but the inhabitants thereof, or any other than the Arabians; and, as Braunius l observes, it need not be wondered at, that with the Jews, in those times, Ethiopia and India should be reckoned the same country; when with the ancients, whatever was beyond the Mediterranean sea, as Arabia, Ethiopia, and even Judea itself, was called India; so Joppa, a city of Phoenicia, from whence Andromeda was fetched by Perseus, is by Ovid m said to be in India; so Bochart n interprets the words of the Saracens or Arabians, who are of a swarthy colour, and some black; and indeed have their name from the same word the raven has, which is black; and particularly the inhabitants of Kedar were black, one part of Arabia, to which the allusion is in Song of Solomon 1:5. Jarchi interprets the word here by "the moor", the blackamoor, whose skin is naturally black, and cannot be changed by himself or others; hence to wash the blackamoor white is a proverbial expression for labour in vain, or attempting to do that which is not to be done:
or the leopard his spots? a creature full of spots, and whose spots are natural to it; and therefore cannot be removed by any means. Some think a creature called "the ounce", or "cat-a-mountain" is meant, whose spots are many, and of a blackish colour; but the description well agrees with the leopard, which is a creature full of spots, and has its name in the eastern languages, particularly the Chaldee and Arabic, from a word o which signifies "spotted", "variegated", as this creature is; so the female is called "varia" by Pliny p, because, of its various spots; and these spots are black, as the Arabic writers in Bochart q. The word here used signifies such marks as are made in a body beat and bruised, which we call black and blue; hence some render it "livid", or black and blue spots r; and these marks are in the skin and hair of this creature, and are natural to it, and cannot be changed; and it is usual with other writers s to call them spots, as well as the Scripture:
then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil; signifying that they were naturally sinners, as blackness is natural to the Ethiopian, and spots to the leopard; and were from their birth and infancy such, and had been so long habituated to sin, by custom founded upon nature, that there was no hope of them; they were obstinate in sin, bent upon it, and incorrigible in it; and this is another reason given why the above calamities came upon them. The metaphors used in this text fitly express the state and condition of men by nature; they are like the Ethiopian or blackamoor; very black, both with original and actual sin; very guilty, and very uncomely; and their blackness is natural to them; they have it from their parents, and by birth; it is with them from their infancy, and youth upwards; and very hard and difficult to be removed; it cannot be washed off by ceremonial ablutions, moral duties, evangelical ordinances, or outward humiliations; yea, it is impossible to be removed but by the grace of God and blood of Christ. Their sins are aptly compared to the leopard's spots, which are many and natural, and difficult to get clear off. What is figuratively expressed in the above metaphors is more plainly signified by being "accustomed" or "taught to do evil" t; which denotes a series and course of sinning; a settled habit and custom in it, founded on nature, and arising from it; which a man learns and acquires naturally, and of himself, whereby he becomes void of fear and shame; and there is a good deal of difficulty, and indeed a moral impossibility, that such persons should "do good": nothing short of the powerful and efficacious grace of God can put a man into a state and capacity of doing good aright, from right principles to right ends, and of continuing in it; for there is no good in such men; nor have they any true notion of doing good, nor inclination to it, nor any ability to perform it: in order to it, it is absolutely necessary that they should first be made good men by the grace of God; that they should be regenerated and quickened by the Spirit of God; that they should be created in Christ Jesus unto good works, and have faith in him; all which is by the grace of God, and not of themselves.
i Yoma, c. 3. sect 7. k In T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 34. 2. l De Vestitu Sacerdot. Heb. l. 1. c. 7. sect. 9. p. 150, 151. m "Andromedam Perseus nigris portarat ab Indis". De Arte Atnandi, l. 1. n Phaleg. l. 4. c. 2. col. 215, 216. o Vid. Golium, col. 2459, 2460. Castel. col. 2321, 2322. p Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 17. q Hierozoic. par 1. l. 3. c. 7. col. 786, 787. r חברברותיו "liventee maculas suas", Junius Tremellius. s Vid. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 19. Juvenal. Satyr. 15. t למדי הרע "docti malefacere", Montanus "edocti malefacere", Junius Tremellius, Piscator "qui edocti estis malum", Schmidt.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
This verse answers the question, May not Judah avert this calamity by repentance? No: because her sins are too inveterate. By the Ethiopian (Hebrew: Cushite) is meant not the Cushite of Arabia but of Africa, i. e., the negro.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Jeremiah 13:23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin — Can a black, at his own pleasure, change the colour of his skin? Can the leopard at will change the variety of his spots? These things are natural to them, and they cannot be altered; so sin, and especially your attachment to idolatry, is become a second nature; and we may as well expect the Ethiopian to change his skin, and the leopard his spots, as you to do good, who have been accustomed to do evil. It is a matter of the utmost difficulty to get a sinner, deeply rooted in vicious habits, brought to the knowledge of himself and God. But the expression does not imply that the thing is as impossible in a moral as it is in a natural sense: it only shows that it is extremely difficult, and not to be often expected; and a thousand matters of fact prove the truth of this. But still, what is impossible to man is possible to God. Jeremiah 13:27.
