Jeremiah 13 1

Jeremiah 13:1 kjv

Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.

Jeremiah 13:1 nkjv

Thus the LORD said to me: "Go and get yourself a linen sash, and put it around your waist, but do not put it in water."

Jeremiah 13:1 niv

This is what the LORD said to me: "Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water."

Jeremiah 13:1 esv

Thus says the LORD to me, "Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it around your waist, and do not dip it in water."

Jeremiah 13:1 nlt

This is what the LORD said to me: "Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it on, but do not wash it."

Jeremiah 13 verses

Jeremiah 13 1 Meaning

Jeremiah 13:1 records a direct divine command from the LORD to the prophet Jeremiah. The prophet is instructed to perform a symbolic act: to acquire a new linen waistband, wrap it around his waist, and notably, not expose it to water. This instruction initiates a profound prophetic object lesson, foreshadowing Judah's spiritual defilement, corruption, and impending judgment due to their persistent unfaithfulness and idolatry, despite their once-pure and close relationship with God.

Jeremiah 13 1 Context

Jeremiah 13:1 introduces the symbolic prophecy of the linen waistband, a vivid and tangible sermon that God commanded Jeremiah to embody for the people of Judah. This act forms the first part of a larger symbolic drama presented in verses 1-11 of chapter 13. At this point in Jeremiah's ministry, Judah was deeply entrenched in idolatry, moral decay, and political corruption. Despite repeated warnings from God through His prophets, the people and their leaders remained unrepentant, relying on false religious practices and their covenant status for security.

Historically, this period (late 7th to early 6th century BCE) was marked by the decline of Assyrian power and the rise of Babylon, with Judah caught between these regional powers, oscillating in its loyalties. Spiritually, they had abandoned their covenant with Yahweh, worshiping Baal and other foreign gods, leading to widespread injustice and ethical compromise. The act of the linen waistband directly challenged Judah's false security, warning them that their treasured status as God's chosen people, once a symbol of purity and intimate relationship (represented by the linen and its closeness to Jeremiah's waist), would become defiled and utterly ruined through their unfaithfulness, leading to God's judgment and ultimately, exile (symbolized by burying and subsequent decay of the waistband). The pure linen often worn by priests also implied Judah's role as a "kingdom of priests" (Exod 19:6), a sacred people meant for service to God, a role they had utterly failed to fulfill.

Jeremiah 13 1 Word analysis

• Thus says the LORD (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה - koh amar Yahweh): This is a standard prophetic formula. It asserts divine authority for the message, clearly indicating that Jeremiah is not speaking his own opinion but delivering a direct revelation from God. It imbues the command with unquestionable truth and significance.
• to me (אֵלַי - elay): Signifies a personal and direct revelation to Jeremiah, highlighting his unique role as God's chosen messenger. The prophet is not merely a conduit of words but also a recipient of personal instruction and divine engagement.
• Go (הָלוֹךְ - halokh): An imperative, emphasizing action. It is not merely a mental or verbal exercise, but a physical undertaking by Jeremiah. This initiates the prophet's embodied participation in the message.
• and get yourself (וְקָנִיתָּ לְּךָ - v'qanita lekha): Qanita means "you shall buy" or "acquire." This indicates that Jeremiah is personally responsible for obtaining the item. The reflexive lekha ("for yourself") further personalizes the task, making the preparation of the prophetic symbol a personal engagement for the prophet.
• a linen waistband (אֵזוֹר פִּשְׁתִּים - ezor pishtim):
  • אֵזוֹר (ezor): A girdle, belt, or waistband. Worn close to the body, it often signified closeness, intimacy, strength (girding up loins for action, readiness), and was a common item of clothing. Its closeness to the body is crucial for the symbolism in Jeremiah 13:11, representing Judah's intended intimate relationship with God.
  • פִּשְׁתִּים (pishtim): Linen. This material was highly valued for its purity, cleanliness, and coolness. It was particularly associated with priestly garments and sacred contexts (Exod 28:42, Lev 16:4, Ezek 44:17-18). Choosing linen here signifies Israel's original status as a holy, pure, and consecrated people to the LORD. The deterioration of this pure material emphasizes a greater spiritual decline.
• and put it around your waist (וְשַׂמְתָּהּ עַל מָתְנֶיךָ - v'samta 'al motneykha): Another imperative for action. The motnayim (waist/loins) often represents the seat of a person's physical strength, vigor, and capacity for action. Placing the waistband here reinforces the idea of it being an integral, constant part of the prophet, just as Judah was intended to be an integral part of God's identity and purpose.
• but do not put it in water (וּבַמַּיִם לֹא תְבִיאֶנָּה - uvamayim lo teviena): This crucial negative command specifies a condition that runs counter to the natural use of a linen garment. Linen is usually washed to maintain its cleanliness and extend its life. Forbidding water here implies the intentional lack of cleansing or purification. This directly foreshadows the intended state of the waistband—unwashed, unpurified, and destined to decay prematurely. Spiritually, it implies that Judah, despite rituals, would not truly cleanse itself.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Thus says the LORD to me, Go and get yourself": This phrase highlights God's sovereignty and direct communication, establishing Jeremiah as a personal participant in a divine mission. The command requires both acquisition and action.
• "a linen waistband and put it around your waist": This combination specifies the object of the prophecy (linen symbolizing purity and preciousness) and its intended initial placement (around the waist symbolizing close relationship and readiness). This close attachment will become a poignant metaphor for Israel's original purpose (Jer 13:11).
• "but do not put it in water": This crucial restriction immediately introduces a negative element to the command. It implies intentional neglect of cleansing, thereby setting the stage for decay and defilement without any intervention, pointing to Israel's willful rejection of spiritual purification.

Jeremiah 13 1 Bonus section

• Embodied Prophecy: The command in Jer 13:1 exemplifies embodied prophecy, a common and powerful mode of communication in the Old Testament. Prophets were often called not just to speak God's word but to live it out through symbolic actions that served as sermons to an often resistant people (e.g., Isaiah walking naked and barefoot, Isa 20; Ezekiel acting out the siege of Jerusalem, Ezek 4-5). This made the divine message concrete, arresting, and often disturbing, ensuring its impact on a society prone to ignore mere words.
• Anticipation of Decay: The initial purity of the linen, coupled with the command not to wash it, immediately creates a tension that hints at its inevitable defilement and ruin. It’s not just about a future event, but about a process already set in motion by the choice to refrain from cleansing. This parallels Judah's continued choice of unfaithfulness that leads to spiritual decay even as they claim a pure lineage or covenant.
• God's Sovereignty in Judgment: Even in the symbolic act of instructing Jeremiah, God asserts His absolute sovereignty over His people and their destiny. He actively designs and orchestrates the prophetic display, signifying His authority both to choose and to judge, revealing His justice.

Jeremiah 13 1 Commentary

Jeremiah 13:1 marks the beginning of one of the LORD's most illustrative and stark symbolic prophecies to Judah. The instruction for Jeremiah to acquire a new, unwashed linen waistband carries deep theological significance. The choice of linen (מפִשְׁתִּים) is intentional; it's a fabric associated with purity, cleanliness, and holiness, particularly used in priestly attire. This signifies Israel's original state as a people consecrated by God, meant to be holy and distinct (Exod 19:6). The waistband itself (אֵזוֹר), worn intimately around the body's strongest part, symbolizes Judah's intended close and essential relationship with the LORD, to whom they were meant to cling for identity, strength, and purpose (as later explained in Jer 13:11).

The crucial command, "do not put it in water," introduces the element of decay and defilement. Water, usually a medium for cleansing and purification, is expressly forbidden. This implies a deliberate allowance for the garment to become soiled and ultimately ruined, without any prospect of restoration. This prohibition against cleansing powerfully foreshadows Judah's spiritual condition: a nation originally chosen for purity and closeness to God, but which has continually refused spiritual cleansing from their idolatry and sin. Despite opportunities for repentance, they remain hardened and resistant to purification. The unwashed linen waistband, therefore, prefigures Judah's imminent corruption, degradation, and eventual judgment, leading to their becoming "useless" or "ruined" in God's sight (Jer 13:7).

This verse embodies the principle of prophetic action, where the message is not just spoken but lived, serving as a visceral warning. God actively orchestrates these lessons to underscore the gravity of His people's covenant breaking and the inevitable consequences. The object lesson, beginning here, would demonstrate that their once pure and valued status would become soiled and contemptible if they persisted in their unfaithfulness.