Jeremiah 13 4

Jeremiah 13:4 kjv

Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.

Jeremiah 13:4 nkjv

"Take the sash that you acquired, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole in the rock."

Jeremiah 13:4 niv

"Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks."

Jeremiah 13:4 esv

"Take the loincloth that you have bought, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a cleft of the rock."

Jeremiah 13:4 nlt

"Take the linen loincloth you are wearing, and go to the Euphrates River. Hide it there in a hole in the rocks."

Jeremiah 13 verses

Jeremiah 13 4 Meaning

Jeremiah 13:4 commands the prophet to take the linen girdle he had previously bought and worn, travel a significant distance to the Euphrates River, and hide it in a rock cleft there. This act, part of a larger symbolic prophecy, dramatically portrays God's intention to bring Judah and Jerusalem into exile in Babylon. The girdle, once clean and close to Jeremiah's loins, symbolizes the intimate relationship God desired with Israel and Judah. Its subsequent burial and decay by the distant river represent the impending spiritual degradation and defilement that would befall His chosen people due to their pride and unfaithfulness, resulting in their captivity and separation from God's presence in their own land.

Jeremiah 13 4 Context

Jeremiah chapter 13 begins with the Lord instructing Jeremiah to buy a linen girdle and wear it without washing. This immediate prior action (Jer 13:1-3) establishes the girdle as a symbol closely associated with Jeremiah, and by extension, with Israel whom God had bound closely to Himself. The directive in verse 4 to go to the Euphrates and hide it marks the next phase of this prophetic object lesson. The long journey to the Euphrates and the act of burying the girdle there signify God's intention to send His people, Judah, far from their homeland into Babylonian exile.

Historically, Judah was entangled in a web of alliances and threats from powerful empires, including Egypt and Babylon. Their persistent idolatry and refusal to adhere to God's covenant, despite Jeremiah's warnings, sealed their fate. The Euphrates River was not merely a geographical marker; it represented the heartland of the dominant Mesopotamian powers, particularly Babylon, which would become the instrument of God's judgment and the place of Judah's captivity. This act thus serves as a vivid pre-enactment of Judah's forced removal, defilement, and utter humiliation, reflecting God's righteous judgment against their spiritual pride and apostasy.

Jeremiah 13 4 Word analysis

• Take (לְקַח - ləqaḥ): An imperative verb, signifying a direct divine command. It demands immediate, purposeful action from the prophet, underlining the non-negotiable nature of God's instruction.
• the girdle (הָאֵזוֹר - hāʾēzōr): This is a definite noun, referring specifically to the linen girdle introduced in Jer 13:1. An 'ezor' was a piece of cloth worn around the waist or loins, often associated with strength, readiness for service, or status. The definiteness indicates its unique symbolic purpose, representing Israel.
• that you have bought (אֲשֶׁר קָנִיתָ - ʾăšer qānîṯā): This phrase emphasizes personal acquisition and possession. Jeremiah actively procured the girdle, which points to the reality and cost involved in God's symbolic actions. It is a specific item with a history tied to the prophet.
• which is upon your loins (אֲשֶׁר עַל מָתְנֶיךָ - ʾăšer ʿal mātəneyḵā): "Loins" (מָתְנַיִם - matnayim) signifies the area of the waist and hips, traditionally associated with strength, reproductive power, and the inner self. Wearing it "upon your loins" denotes intimacy, closeness, and the original position of honor God intended for Israel (Jer 13:11).
• and arise (וְקוּם - wəqûm): Another imperative, urging Jeremiah to stand up and prepare for the arduous task. It implies initiating a significant and deliberate journey or undertaking.
• go to the Euphrates (לֵךְ פְּרָתָה - lēḵ pĕrāthâ): "Go" (lēḵ) is an imperative verb of movement. "Euphrates" (Prathah) is a proper noun, a major river flowing through Mesopotamia, signifying the land of Babylon, Judah's future oppressor and place of exile. The suffix '-ah' denotes motion "to" the Euphrates. This journey represents the forced displacement of the Judeans.
• and hide it there (וְטָמְנֵהוּ שָׁם - wəṭāmnēhû šām): "Hide" (taman) is an imperative, meaning to conceal, bury, or make secret. It implies removal from sight, a deliberate act of burial, foreshadowing a state of loss and decay. "There" (sham) pinpoints the exact location of defilement.
• in a cleft of the rock (בְּנִקְרַת הַסֶּלַע - bəniqraṯ hasselaʿ): "Cleft" (נִקְרַת - niqraṯ) means a fissure, hole, or opening in a rock, suggesting a dark, damp, and obscure place, ripe for decay. "Rock" (sela') implies a firm, permanent, unyielding hiding spot. The specificity reinforces the hiddenness and the subsequent decay would be away from light and purification.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Take the girdle that you have bought, which is upon your loins": This entire phrase serves as a specific identifier of the symbolic object and its previous state. It highlights God's intimate and chosen relationship with Israel, similar to a garment worn closely and with honor. The "bought" aspect might also imply a "cost" or "investment" on God's part in this relationship.
• "and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a cleft of the rock": This group of words describes the full command, emphasizing a arduous journey and a degrading outcome. The "arise, go" shows the difficulty and obedience required, while "hide it there in a cleft of the rock" powerfully signifies the intended obscurity, decay, and spiritual defilement of God's chosen people, not merely exiled but ruined. The Euphrates river as a specific destination underscores the place of judgment and suffering away from God's holy land.

Jeremiah 13 4 Bonus section

The long and difficult journey from Jerusalem to the Euphrates River (likely hundreds of miles) was a significant physical burden on Jeremiah. This personal cost in performing prophetic acts (similar to Isaiah walking naked or Ezekiel lying on his side) adds weight to the divine message, showing that God's judgments and warnings are not flippant or easily delivered, but are born out of deep sorrow and resolve. Jeremiah’s faithful execution of this physically demanding task would have profoundly impressed upon both himself and the few who knew of it, the dire certainty of Judah's future. It wasn't a casual prophecy, but a living, suffering portrayal of impending national catastrophe. The journey itself prefigures the painful, literal march of captives into exile, establishing a personal link between the prophet and the suffering of his people.

Jeremiah 13 4 Commentary

Jeremiah 13:4 is a pivotal instruction in a vivid prophetic drama, illustrating God's imminent judgment on Judah. The act commanded is deliberately burdensome, underscoring the severity of the coming exile. The girdle, once worn closely and pristine, symbolizing God's covenant relationship and the potential for Israel's glory and utility (Jer 13:11), is now commanded to be taken to a distant, foreign land—Babylon, represented by the Euphrates—and hidden. This act of concealment in a "cleft of the rock" implies its complete removal from public sight and the intentional process of its defilement and decay, which Jeremiah later confirms in Jer 13:7 as becoming "ruined, good for nothing."

This divine theater communicates profound spiritual truths: Judah, in her pride and idolatry (Jer 13:9-10), had corrupted her special relationship with God. She would be uprooted from her place of honor, dragged into exile, and there, away from God's visible presence and protection in the Temple, her spiritual vitality and glory would decay. The once-bright symbol of God's chosen people would become "good for nothing," reflecting their lost purpose and their defilement among the Gentiles. This message of judgment is a clear warning that even God's chosen people are not immune to the consequences of disobedience, yet it also carries an implicit call to repentance, albeit one often unheeded. The act is physical, but the lesson is entirely spiritual, depicting the interior moral decay externalized through physical suffering.

• Practical Examples: A beloved heirloom that is neglected and hidden away eventually deteriorates beyond repair, losing its original value and beauty. Or a highly trained and capable individual, if forced into an environment that strips them of their purpose and honor, can slowly lose their zeal and distinct identity. Similarly, God's people, though precious to Him, lost their distinction and vitality through unfaithfulness and exile.