Jeremiah 2:23

2:22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.

How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways; thou art: or, O swift dromedary

KJV

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“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled. I have not gone after the Baals’? See your way in the valley. Know what you have done. You are a swift dromedary traversing her ways;

How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;

How can you say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see your way in the valley, know what you have done: you are a swift dromedary traversing her ways;

2:24 A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her. A wild: or, O wild ass, etc used: Heb. taught her pleasure: Heb. the desire of her heart turn: or, reverse it?

What does Jeremiah 2:23 mean?

Jeremiah 2:23 is a verse in the book of Jeremiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include אָמַר (ʼâmar), טָמֵא (ṭâmêʼ), הָלַךְ (hâlak). It connects to 1 cross-referenced passage elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

How

canst

thou

say,אָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)

not

polluted,טָמֵאṭâmêʼ/taw-may'/H2930to be foul, especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated)

have

not

goneהָלַךְhâlak/haw-lak'/H1980to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

afterאַחַרʼachar/akh-ar'/H310properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)

Baalim?בַּעַלBaʻal/bah'-al/H1168Baal, a Phoenician deity

seeרָאָהrâʼâh/raw-aw'/H7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)

thy

wayדֶּרֶךְderek/deh'-rek/H1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb

the

valley,גַּיְאgayʼ/gah'-ee/H1516a gorge (from its lofty sides; hence, narrow, but not a gully or winter-torrent)

knowיָדַעyâdaʻ/yaw-dah'/H3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)

what

thou

hast

done:עָשָׂהʻâsâh/aw-saw'/H6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

thou

art

swiftקַלqal/kal/H7031light; (by implication) rapid (also adverbial)

dromedaryבִּכְרָהbikrâh/bik-raw'/H1072a young she-camel

traversingשָׂרַךְsârak/saw-rak'/H8308to interlace

her

ways;דֶּרֶךְderek/deh'-rek/H1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb

thou

art:

or,

swift

dromedary

Commentary on Jeremiah 2:23

HENRY_FULL · Jeremiah 2:23

lves at it. See their character. 1. No rational words will work upon them; they will not be corrected and reformed, not brought to their business, nor cured of their idleness and laziness, by fair means, no, nor by foul words; even the most gentle master will be forced to use severity with them; no reason will serve their turn, for they are unreasonable. 2. No rational words will be got from them. They are dogged and sullen; and, though they understand the questions you ask them, they will not give you an answer; though you make it ever so plain to them what you expect from them, they will not promise you to mend what is amiss nor to mind their business. See the folly of those servants whose mouth by their silence calls for strokes; they might be corrected by words and save blows, but they will not. 20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him. Solomon here shows that there is little hope of bringing a man to wisdom that is hasty either, 1. Through rashness and inconsideration: Seest thou a man that is hasty in h

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Jeremiah 2:21

Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

Topics

Self-Righteousness Wicked

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Jeremiah 2:23.

1 Samuel 6:12

And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.

2 Kings 23:10

And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.

2 Samuel 3:16

And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned. along: Heb. going and weeping

Genesis 5:22

And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

Jeremiah 11:10

They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.

Jonah 3:10

And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Joshua 6:9

And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. rereward: Heb. gathering host

Leviticus 11:27

And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.

Frequently asked questions

What does Jeremiah 2:23 say?

Jeremiah 2:23 (King James Version) reads: "How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways; thou art: or, O swift dromedary"

Is Jeremiah 2:23 in the Old or New Testament?

Jeremiah 2:23 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Jeremiah.

Reflect

As you read Jeremiah 2:23, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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