King James Version

Jeremiah 2:23

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;

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Hebrew

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אֵ֣יךְeykhhowאֵיךְparticle, interrogative — “how”H349how? or how!; also wherehow, what.תֹּאמְרִ֞יtomrisayאָמַרverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “say”, an unfinished actionH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…נִטְמֵ֗אתִיnitmetibe uncleanטָמֵאverb, niphal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “be unclean”, a completed actionH2930to be foul, especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated)defile (self), pollute (self), be (make, make self, pronounce) unclean, [idiom] utterly.אַחֲרֵ֤יachareafterאַחַרpreposition — “after”H310properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, [phrase] out (over) live, [phrase] persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, the…הַבְּעָלִים֙habalimthe Baalבַּעַלdefinite article, noun, proper name — “the Baal”H1168Baal, a Phoenician deityBaal, (plural) Baalim.לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…הָלַ֔כְתִּיhalakhtiwalkהָלַךְverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “walk”, a completed actionH1980to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)(all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, [phrase] be eased, enter, exercise (self), [phrase] follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), [phrase] gre…רְאִ֤יreiseeרָאָהverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “see”, a commandH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…דַרְכֵּךְ֙darkekhealongדֶּרֶךְnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “along”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverbalong, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).בַּגַּ֔יְאbagayin valleyגַּיְאpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “in valley”, the ordinary formH1516a gorge (from its lofty sides; hence, narrow, but not a gully or winter-torrent)valley.דְּעִ֖יdeiknowיָדַעverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “know”, a commandH3045to 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.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…מֶ֣הmehhowמָהparticle, interrogative — “how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.עָשִׂ֑יתasitdoעָשָׂהverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “do”, a completed actionH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…בִּכְרָ֥הbikhrahdromedaryבִּכְרָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “dromedary”, the ordinary formH1072a young she-cameldromedary.קַלָּ֖הqalahlightקַלadjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “light”, the ordinary formH7031light; (by implication) rapid (also adverbial)light, swift(-ly).מְשָׂרֶ֥כֶתmesarekhettraverseשָׂרַךְverb, piel, participle, absolute — “traverse”, a verb used as a describing wordH8308to interlacetraverse.דְּרָכֶֽיהָderakheyhaalongדֶּרֶךְnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “along”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverbalong, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

How canst thou say: 'I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baalim'? See thy way in the Valley, know what thou hast done; thou art a swift young camel traversing her ways;

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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

Young’s Literal Translation

How sayest thou, 'I have not been defiled, After the Baalim I have not gone?' See thy way in a valley, know what thou hast done, A swift dromedary winding her ways,

World English Bible

“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,

Darby Translation

How sayest thou, I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals? See thy way in the valley, acknowledge what thou hast done — a swift dromedary traversing her ways!

Douay-Rheims

How canst thou say: I am not polluted, and I have not walked after Baalim? see thy ways in the valley, know what thou hast done: as a swift runner pursuing his course.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

How canst thou say: 'I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baalim'? See thy way in the Valley, know what thou hast done; thou art a swift young camel traversing her ways;

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

How wilt thou say, I am not polluted, and have not gone after Baal? behold thy ways in the burial-ground, and know what thou hast done: her voice has howled in the evening:

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Πῶς ἐρεῖς, οὐκ ἐμιάνθην, καὶ ὀπίσω τῆς Βάαλ οὐκ ἐπορεύθην; ἴδε τὰς ὁδούς σου ἐν τῷ πολυανδρίῳ, καὶ γνῶθι τί ἐποίησας· ὀψὲ φωνὴ αὐτῆς ὠλόλυξε·