But the Israelites did not listen. They kept on doing the same things they did before.
Jeremiah 13:23 - Easy To Read Version A black man can’t change\par the color of his skin.\par And a leopard can’t change his spots.\par In the same way, Jerusalem, you can’t change and do good.\par You always do bad things.\par Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also can you do good who are accustomed and taught [even trained] to do evil. American Standard Version (1901) Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Common English Bible Can a Cushite change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good when doing evil comes so naturally. Catholic Public Domain Version If the Ethiopian is able to change his skin, or the leopard is able to change his spots, then you also may be able to do well, though you have learned evil. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version If the Ethiopian can change his skin or the leopard his spots: you may also do well when you have learned evil. |
But the Israelites did not listen. They kept on doing the same things they did before.
You can grind a fool to powder, and still you will not force the foolishness out of him.
\{You can’t change these things.\} If something is crooked, you can’t say it is straight. And if something is missing, you can’t say it is there.
\{God says,\} “Why should I continue to punish you people? \{I punished you, but you did not change.\} You continue to rebel against me. Now every head and every heart is sick.
“A person’s mind is very tricky!\par The mind can be very sick,\par and no person truly understands it.\par
Even if you wash yourself with lye, {\cf2\super [12]} \par even if you use much soap,\par I can still see your guilt.”\par This message was from the Lord God.\par
“I punished you people of Judah,\par but it did not help.\par You did not come back when you were punished.\par You killed with your swords the prophets that came to you.\par You were like a dangerous lion and you killed the prophets.”\par
\{God said,\} “My people are foolish.\par They don’t know me.\par They are stupid children.\par They don’t understand.\par They are skillful at doing evil,\par but they don’t know how to do good.”\par
Lord, I know that you want people\par to be loyal to you.\par You hit the people of Judah,\par but they did not feel any pain.\par You destroyed them,\par but they refused to learn their lesson.\par They became very stubborn.\par They refused to be sorry\par for the bad things they did.\par
Every person lies to his neighbor.\par No person speaks the truth.\par The people of Judah have taught\par their tongues to lie.\par They sinned until they were too tired\par to come back.\par
Saul heard about this, so he sent other messengers. But they also began prophesying. So Saul sent messengers a third time. And they also began prophesying.