22 And when you ask yourself,
“Why have these things happened to me?”
It is because of your great guilt(A)
that your skirts have been stripped off,(B)
your body exposed.[a]
23 Can the Cushite change his skin,
or a leopard his spots?
If so, you might be able to do what is good,(C)
you who are instructed in evil.
24 I will scatter you[b] like drifting chaff(D)
before the desert wind.
25 This is your lot,
what I have decreed for you—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
because you have forgotten Me
and trusted in Falsehood.[c](E)
26 I will pull your skirts up over your face
so that your shame might be seen.(F)
27 Your adulteries and your lustful neighing,(G)
your heinous prostitution
on the hills, in the fields—
I have seen your detestable acts.
Woe to you, Jerusalem!
You are unclean—
for how long yet?(H)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 13:22 Lit your heels have suffered violence
  2. Jeremiah 13:24 Lit them
  3. Jeremiah 13:25 = Baal

22 You may ask yourself,
“Why is all this happening to me?”
    It is because of your many sins!
That is why you have been stripped
    and raped by invading armies.
23 Can an Ethiopian[a] 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.

24 “I will scatter you like chaff
    that is blown away by the desert winds.
25 This is your allotment,
    the portion I have assigned to you,”
    says the Lord,
“for you have forgotten me,
    putting your trust in false gods.
26 I myself will strip you
    and expose you to shame.
27 I have seen your adultery and lust,
    and your disgusting idol worship out in the fields and on the hills.
What sorrow awaits you, Jerusalem!
    How long before you are pure?”

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Footnotes

  1. 13:23 Hebrew a Cushite.

22 And if you ask yourself,
    “Why has this happened to me?”(A)
it is because of your many sins(B)
    that your skirts have been torn off(C)
    and your body mistreated.(D)
23 Can an Ethiopian[a] change his skin
    or a leopard its spots?
Neither can you do good
    who are accustomed to doing evil.(E)

24 “I will scatter you like chaff(F)
    driven by the desert wind.(G)
25 This is your lot,
    the portion(H) I have decreed for you,”
declares the Lord,
“because you have forgotten(I) me
    and trusted in false gods.(J)
26 I will pull up your skirts over your face
    that your shame may be seen(K)
27 your adulteries and lustful neighings,
    your shameless prostitution!(L)
I have seen your detestable acts
    on the hills and in the fields.(M)
Woe to you, Jerusalem!
    How long will you be unclean?”(N)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 13:23 Hebrew Cushite (probably a person from the upper Nile region)