Jeremiah 13 11

Jeremiah 13:11 kjv

For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.

Jeremiah 13:11 nkjv

For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,' says the LORD, 'that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.'

Jeremiah 13:11 niv

For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,' declares the LORD, 'to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened.'

Jeremiah 13:11 esv

For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the LORD, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen.

Jeremiah 13:11 nlt

As a loincloth clings to a man's waist, so I created Judah and Israel to cling to me, says the LORD. They were to be my people, my pride, my glory ? an honor to my name. But they would not listen to me.

Jeremiah 13 verses

Jeremiah 13 11 Meaning

Jeremiah 13:11 states, "For as the loincloth cleaves to the loins of a man, so I have caused all the house of Israel and all the house of Judah to cleave to me, says the LORD, that they may become to me a people, an acclaimed name, and a praise, and a glory, but they did not obey." This verse declares that Israel and Judah were intimately attached to God, intended to be His treasured possession. This close relationship was designed for them to be a testament to His name, reflecting His glory and receiving His praise. However, their disobedience severed this intended purpose.

Jeremiah 13 11 Context

This verse appears in Jeremiah chapter 13, a chapter focused on illustrating the consequences of Judah's deep-seated sin and idolatry through symbolic actions. Jeremiah is instructed to take a linen loincloth, go to the Euphrates, hide it, and then retrieve it. The loincloth, described as becoming useless and ruined, symbolizes how Judah, despite being closely bound to God like a loincloth to a man's body, had become corrupted and spiritually unusable due to their disobedience. The verse highlights God's initial desire for a close, purifying relationship with His people, which was marred by their refusal to listen to His word and their embrace of idolatry.

Jeremiah 13 11 Word Analysis

• "as": (Hebrew: כְּ, ke) - This is a preposition used for comparison, indicating similarity or manner.
• "the loincloth": (Hebrew: אֵפֹ֖ד, efod) - Refers to an undergarment, typically of linen, worn by priests and sometimes by kings. In this context, it represents something very close and essential to the body.
• "cleaves": (Hebrew: דָּבַ֕ק, davak) - Means to cling, stick, adhere, or be joined closely. It emphasizes an intimate and inseparable connection.
• "to": (Hebrew: אֶל, el) - A preposition indicating direction or connection.
• "the loins": (Hebrew: מָתְנָ֖י, motnayim) - Refers to the hips or waist, a part of the body associated with strength, vitality, and even progeny. It underscores the closeness and fundamental nature of the connection.
• "of a man": (Hebrew: אִ֣ישׁ, ish) - Refers to a male human.
• "so": (Hebrew: כֵּ֔ן, ken) - Another conjunction indicating "in this manner" or "likewise," drawing the parallel from the loincloth to the people.
• "have I caused": (Hebrew: הֵ֠נַחְתִּי, henach'ti) - While a more direct translation could be "have made to cleave," the Hebrew verb nichiti (from nachah) can imply guidance or causing to stick. Here, it emphasizes God's action in establishing the covenant and relationship.
• "all the house of Israel": (Hebrew: כֹּ֣ל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל, kol beit Yisra'el) - Refers to the entire nation of Israel, encompassing the northern kingdom and its people.
• "and all the house of Judah": (Hebrew: וְכֹ֣ל בֵּית יְהוּדָ֗ה, v'chol beit Yehudah) - Refers to the entire nation of Judah, the southern kingdom.
• "to cleave": (Hebrew: לִדְבֹּ֕ק, lid'bok) - The infinitive form of davak, reinforcing the idea of adhering.
• "unto me": (Hebrew: בִּ֣י, bi) - Directly to God.
• "says the LORD": (Hebrew: נְאֻם יְהוָ֔ה, neum YHVH) - A standard prophetic formula asserting divine authority.
• "that they may become": (Hebrew: לִֽהְי֖וֹת, lihyot) - Expresses purpose.
• "to me": (Hebrew: לִּ֑י, li) - Belonging to God.
• "a people": (Hebrew: לְעָ֑ם, l'am) - A nation, a collective group.
• "an acclaimed name": (Hebrew: לְשֵׁ֖ם, l'shem) - Literally "for a name," signifying a reputation or memorial.
• "and for praise": (Hebrew: וּלְתְהִלָּ֗ה, ult'hillah) - For glory and boasting, public acknowledgment of worth.
• "and for glory": (Hebrew: וְלִפְאֵ֛ר, v'lif'er) - For beauty, adornment, honor, splendor. These three (name, praise, glory) are intertwined aspects of divine reputation.
• "but they did not obey": (Hebrew: כִּ֣י לֹ֥א שָֽׁמְעֽוּ׃, ki lo sham'u) - "Because they did not hear" or "obey." The root shama' carries both meanings.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "as the loincloth cleaves to the loins of a man": This is a powerful metaphor for intimacy, closeness, and dependence. A loincloth is worn constantly, against the skin, inseparable from the wearer. This imagery highlights the ideal, pure relationship God intended.
• "so I have caused all the house of Israel and all the house of Judah to cleave to me": God's action in initiating and maintaining this relationship, through covenant and law, is emphasized. The entirety of both kingdoms is included, showing the scope of God's claim.
• "that they may become to me a people, an acclaimed name, and a praise, and a glory": This clause outlines the purpose of this cleaving: for God's own glory and exaltation. They were meant to be a living testament to His nature and power. The progression from "people" to "name" to "praise" and "glory" shows a growing intensity of divine recognition and honor derived through them.
• "but they did not obey": This is the crucial turning point. Their failure to obey effectively severed the intended connection and prevented God's intended purpose from being realized through them. The disobedience renders the earlier "cleaving" ineffective for its divine goal.

Jeremiah 13 11 Bonus Section

The concept of God's people being "cleaved" to Him for His glory is a recurring theme, illustrating the reciprocal nature of covenant relationships in the Old Testament. God chooses and binds Himself to a people (Deut. 7:6-8) so that through them, His name and attributes would be known and praised among the nations. When this loyalty breaks down, the testimony is broken. The New Testament echoes this in Christ, where believers are indissolubly joined to Him (John 15:4-5). Our purpose, like that of Israel's, is to bear fruit that brings glory to God the Father, living as a "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession" specifically "that you may declare the praises of him who called you" (1 Pet. 2:9). The failure of Israel and Judah in Jeremiah serves as a potent warning of the consequences when God's people, despite His efforts to keep them close, turn away through disobedience, thereby marring their witness and incurring divine displeasure. The subsequent prophetic pronouncements against them stem directly from this failure to maintain the pure, obedient relationship described in this verse.

Jeremiah 13 11 Commentary

Jeremiah 13:11 succinctly expresses God's desire for a profound and inseparable relationship with His people, Israel and Judah. This connection, initiated and sustained by God, was not merely for their benefit but primarily for His own glory to be manifested through them. The metaphor of the loincloth underscores this intimacy. However, the verse pivots sharply with the concluding clause, revealing the tragic reason for God's judgment on Israel and Judah: their persistent disobedience. Their refusal to heed God's word corrupted the very intimacy God had established, rendering them incapable of fulfilling their intended role as witnesses to His praise and glory. This serves as a foundational principle in biblical theology: God's redemptive purpose is inextricably linked to the obedience of His people. Their faithfulness is the conduit through which His glory is most fully displayed to the world. The failure in obedience tragically mirrors the misuse of the symbolic loincloth, which, meant to be useful and intact, was rendered soiled and ruined, thus failing its purpose.