The Hebrew word chăbarburâh, represented by H2272, refers to a spot or streak, like a line. The base definition suggests a marking "as on the tiger," but its single biblical appearance links it directly to the leopard. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse, yet it is used to convey a powerful metaphorical point about an unchangeable nature.
The sole use of H2272 is found in a rhetorical question posed by the prophet Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 13:23, the Lord asks, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?" This question is immediately followed by its application: "then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." The spot of the leopard is presented as an immutable, defining characteristic, used in parallel with the Ethiopian's skin color to illustrate a nature that cannot be altered by its own will. The metaphor serves to emphasize how deeply ingrained the people's habit of doing evil H7489 had become.
Several related words from its context help illuminate the meaning of H2272:
- H5246 nâmêr (leopard): This is the animal identified as having the unchangeable spots. The leopard is depicted elsewhere as a swift and fierce predator (Habakkuk 1:8, Jeremiah 5:6) and also as a creature that will dwell peacefully with a kid in a future time of restoration Isaiah 11:6.
- H2015 hâphak (to change): This is the action that the verse declares impossible for the leopard to perform on its spots. The verb itself signifies a fundamental transformation, such as God turning mourning into dancing Jeremiah 31:13 or a curse into a blessing Deuteronomy 23:5, highlighting the profound nature of the change being discussed.
- H7489 râʻaʻ (to make or be bad): This word describes the moral condition that has become as fixed as the leopard's spots. The people are "accustomed to do evil" Jeremiah 13:23, a state contrasted with the command to "cease to do evil" Isaiah 1:16 and the wisdom of those who are wise only in their capacity to do evil Jeremiah 4:22.
The theological weight of H2272 is tied directly to its metaphorical use in Jeremiah.
- Symbol of an Ingrained Nature: The leopard's spot functions as a powerful symbol for a characteristic that is inherent and seemingly permanent. It is used to illustrate a condition that has become second nature Jeremiah 13:23.
- The Human Inability to Self-Reform: The impossibility of a leopard changing its spots is used to argue that those who are "accustomed to do evil" cannot simply decide to do good H3190. It illustrates the biblical concept of sin as a deeply rooted condition that cannot be overcome by human effort alone.
- A Statement on Moral Fixedness: By linking the inability to change one's spots with the inability to do good, the verse makes a profound statement about the consequences of persistent sin. The pattern of doing evil H7489 becomes so established that it defines a person's character as unalterably as a physical marking.
In summary, H2272 is a word that, despite its single occurrence, provides a critical piece of biblical imagery. The spot of a leopard becomes more than a simple marking; it is a metaphor for the entrenched nature of sin. The rhetorical question in Jeremiah 13:23 uses this image to confront its audience with their own spiritual condition, highlighting a human powerlessness to reverse a character that has become defined by evil.
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