Original Word: כְּלִמּוּת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: klimmuwth
Pronunciation: keh-leem-mooth
Phonetic Spelling: (kel-im-mooth')
KJV: shame
NASB: humiliation
Word Origin: [from H3639 (כְּלִמָּה - disgrace)]

1. disgrace

From klimmah; disgrace -- shame.

see HEBREW klimmah

The term כְּלִמּוּת (kelimut) paints a picture of public disgrace so deep and enduring that it becomes part of a people’s collective memory. Although it occurs only once in the Hebrew Bible, the word gathers into itself the covenantal reality that rebellion against the Lord brings not merely punishment but also shame that cannot be humanly erased.

Scriptural Occurrence

Jeremiah 23:40 is the single instance: “I will bring upon you everlasting disgrace—perpetual shame that will never be forgotten” (Berean Standard Bible). Here the prophet records a divine verdict against Israel’s false shepherds whose deception had led the nation into idolatry and moral collapse.

Context in Jeremiah 23

Jeremiah 23 denounces prophets who “speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD” (Jeremiah 23:16). Their soothing lies lulled Judah into complacency during a critical period just before the Babylonian exile. The pronouncement of כְּלִמּוּת stands as the climactic sanction: God’s name, which should have been hallowed among the nations, would instead be associated with Judah’s humiliation. The “everlasting” aspect underscores the gravity of corrupt spiritual leadership; while God promises restoration to the faithful remnant (Jeremiah 23:3–4), the disgrace attached to false prophets endures as a warning for every generation.

Historical Background

Jeremiah prophesied in the late seventh and early sixth centuries B.C., addressing Judah’s final kings—Josiah, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. Political dependence on Egypt and internal idolatry had eroded covenant fidelity. Prophets for hire assured the populace of peace, contradicting Jeremiah’s call to repentance. When Babylon ultimately destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C., the shame foretold in כְּלִמּוּת became a historical reality, etching Judah’s downfall into the annals of Near Eastern history.

Relationship to Covenant Faithfulness

The Mosaic covenant included blessings for obedience and curses for rebellion (Deuteronomy 28). Shame is a prominent covenant curse: “You will become an object of horror, scorn, and ridicule among all the nations” (Deuteronomy 28:37). כְּלִמּוּת crystallizes that dimension. By violating the covenant, Judah traded the honor of bearing God’s name for ignominy before the watching world.

Prophetic Themes of Judgment and Restoration

Though perpetual shame is threatened, Jeremiah elsewhere holds out hope: “I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and Judah” (Jeremiah 30:3). The prophetic tension—judgment on the unrepentant yet mercy for the contrite—prevents כְּלִמּוּת from having the final word. The same book that brands false prophets with everlasting disgrace also envisions a New Covenant written on the heart (Jeremiah 31:31–34), hinting at a future where true honor is restored through divine initiative.

Continuity with New Testament Teaching

The New Testament echoes these dynamics. Jesus warns of disgrace awaiting leaders who cause others to stumble (Matthew 18:6–9). Hebrews 10:29 speaks of the “worse punishment” reserved for those who trample the Son of God, a sin that carries eternal reproach. Conversely, faith in Christ replaces shame with glory: “The one who believes in Him will never be put to shame” (Romans 10:11). Thus the cross, an instrument of public humiliation, becomes the means by which God removes the everlasting disgrace of sin for all who believe (Hebrews 12:2).

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

1. Accountability of Leaders: כְּלִמּוּת warns teachers and pastors to handle Scripture faithfully. Spiritual deceit may attract crowds but ultimately invites lasting dishonor.
2. Call to Repentance: Congregations must reject comforts that contradict God’s word, lest temporary ease give way to enduring shame.
3. Healing from Shame: For believers weighed down by past sin, the gospel offers a reversal—honor in Christ replaces the disgrace of transgression (1 Peter 2:6).
4. Witness to the Nations: The church bears God’s name before the world; integrity preserves honor, while hypocrisy resurrects the specter of כְּלִמּוּת.

Related Hebrew Terms and Distinctions

• כְּלִמָּה (kelimah, disgrace) appears frequently and is broader in scope.
• חֶרְפָּה (cherpah, reproach) emphasizes verbal contempt.
• בֹּשֶׁת (boshet, shame) often conveys inner humiliation.

כְּלִמּוּת combines the public aspect of חֶרְפָּה with the depth of בֹּשֶׁת, yet carries a unique note of irreversibility when linked to divine judgment.

Conclusion

Though כְּלִמּוּת surfaces only once, its theological weight is considerable. It stands as a monument to the seriousness of distorting God’s word and as a backdrop against which the gospel’s power to remove shame shines all the brighter.