King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, [yet] thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Even if you scrub yourself with soda and plenty of soap, the stain of your guilt is still there before me," says Adonai ELOHIM.
Berean Standard Bible:
Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me,” declares the Lord GOD.
American Standard Version:
For though thou wash thee with lye, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord Jehovah.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
For though thou wash{H3526} thee with nitre{H5427}, and take thee much{H7235} soap{H1287}, yet thine iniquity{H5771} is marked{H3799} before{H6440} me, saith{H5002} the Lord{H136} GOD{H3069}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Jeremiah 17:1
- ¶ The sin of Judah [is] written with a pen of iron, [and] with the point of a diamond: [it is] graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;
Job 14:17
- My transgression [is] sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.
Hosea 13:12
- The iniquity of Ephraim [is] bound up; his sin [is] hid.
Jeremiah 16:17
- For mine eyes [are] upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.
Psalms 130:3
- If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Psalms 90:8
- Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret [sins] in the light of thy countenance.
Amos 8:7
- The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Jeremiah 2:22
Jeremiah 2:22 is a verse from the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, who was a prophet to the kingdom of Judah during a tumultuous period in its history, around the 7th to 6th centuries BCE. This verse is part of a larger passage in which God, through the prophet Jeremiah, is rebuking the people of Judah and Jerusalem for their unfaithfulness and apostasy. The historical context is set against the backdrop of Judah's decline, marked by idolatry, injustice, and a failure to uphold the covenant with God.
In this specific verse, God is emphasizing the futility of outward religious rituals without genuine repentance and moral transformation. The imagery of washing with nitre (potassium nitrate, which was used in purification rituals) and much soap is a metaphor for attempts to cleanse oneself of sin through external means alone. The message is clear: no amount of religious ceremony or self-cleansing can hide one's sins from the Lord. God sees beyond the superficial and is acutely aware of the people's iniquities. The verse underscores themes of divine omniscience, the call for sincere repentance, and the inadequacy of empty religious practices to atone for sin. It serves as a powerful reminder that God desires authentic faith and righteous conduct over mere ritual observance.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H3526
There are 48 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כָּבַס
Transliteration: kâbaç
Pronunciation: kaw-bas'
Description: a primitive root; to trample; hence, to wash (properly, by stamping with the feet), whether literal (including the fulling process) or figurative; fuller, wash(-ing). - Strong's Number: H5427
There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נֶתֶר
Transliteration: nether
Pronunciation: neh'-ther
Description: from נָתַר; mineral potash (so called from effervescing with acid); nitre. - Strong's Number: H7235
There are 211 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָבָה
Transliteration: râbâh
Pronunciation: raw-baw'
Description: a primitive root; to increase (in whatever respect); (bring in) abundance ([idiom] -antly), [phrase] archer (by mistake for רָבַב), be in authority, bring up, [idiom] continue, enlarge, excel, exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly, [idiom] -ness), grow up, heap, increase, be long, (be, give, have, make, use) many (a time), (any, be, give, give the, have) more (in number), (ask, be, be so, gather, over, take, yield) much (greater, more), (make to) multiply, nourish, plenty(-eous), [idiom] process (of time), sore, store, thoroughly, very. - Strong's Number: H1287
There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֹּרִית
Transliteration: bôrîyth
Pronunciation: bo-reeth'
Description: feminine of בֹּר; vegetable alkali; sope. - Strong's Number: H5771
There are 213 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָוֺן
Transliteration: ʻâvôn
Pronunciation: aw-vone'
Description: or עָווֹן; (2 Kings 7:9; Psalm 51:5 (אֲבַד)), from עָוָה; perversity, i.e. (moral) evil; fault, iniquity, mischeif, punishment (of iniquity), sin. - Strong's Number: H3799
There are 1 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כָּתַם
Transliteration: kâtham
Pronunciation: kaw-tham'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to carve or engrave, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe indelibly; mark. - Strong's Number: H6440
There are 1890 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פָּנִים
Transliteration: pânîym
Pronunciation: paw-neem'
Description: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from פָּנָה); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.); [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you. - Strong's Number: H5002
There are 358 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נְאֻם
Transliteration: nᵉʼum
Pronunciation: neh-oom'
Description: from נָאַם; an oracle; (hath) said, saith. - Strong's Number: H136
There are 910 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֲדֹנָי
Transliteration: ʼĂdônây
Pronunciation: ad-o-noy'
Description: an emphatic form of אָדוֹן; the Lord (used as a proper name of God only); (my) Lord. - Strong's Number: H3069
There are 295 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהֹוִה
Transliteration: Yᵉhôvih
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vee'
Description: a variation of יְהֹוָה (used after אֲדֹנָי, and pronounced by Jews as אֱלֹהִים, in order to prevent the repetition of the same sound, since they elsewhere pronounce יְהֹוָה as אֲדֹנָי); {YHWH}; God.