Jeremiah 13:7 kjv
Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.
Jeremiah 13:7 nkjv
Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the sash from the place where I had hidden it; and there was the sash, ruined. It was profitable for nothing.
Jeremiah 13:7 niv
So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.
Jeremiah 13:7 esv
Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and I took the loincloth from the place where I had hidden it. And behold, the loincloth was spoiled; it was good for nothing.
Jeremiah 13:7 nlt
So I went to the Euphrates and dug it out of the hole where I had hidden it. But now it was rotting and falling apart. The loincloth was good for nothing.
Jeremiah 13 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 13:7 | Then I went to the appointed place. Then I bought a loin-belt and put it on my waist. | Symbol of Judah's ruin |
| Jeremiah 13:10 | This evil people who refuse to hear My words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts. | Stubbornness of heart leads to judgment |
| Jeremiah 13:11 | For as the loin-belt clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to Me. | Intimacy and adherence to God |
| Jeremiah 13:12 | You shall therefore speak to them this word: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Every jug shall be filled with wine. | Symbolism of God's judgment |
| Jeremiah 13:23 | Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil. | Impossibility of self-redemption from ingrained sin |
| Isaiah 10:27 | The yoke shall be destroyed because of anointing. | Divine intervention breaking bondage |
| Ezekiel 16:17 | You also took your male figurines and made them for yourself and played the harlot with them. | Idolatry as spiritual adultery |
| Hosea 2:9 | Therefore I will take back My grain in its time, And My new wine in its season; I will also snatch away My wool and My flax, Which were to cover her nakedness. | God withholding His blessings |
| Matthew 23:37 | O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! | Jesus' lament over Jerusalem's rejection |
| Luke 11:23 | He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters. | Those who are not committed to God are against Him |
| 2 Corinthians 5:17 | Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. | Transformation through Christ |
| Galatians 3:27 | For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. | Putting on Christ symbol of new identity |
| Deuteronomy 7:6 | For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure, above all the peoples on the face of the earth. | Israel as God's chosen people |
| Jeremiah 31:32 | But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. | The New Covenant symbolized in the heart and mind |
| Leviticus 26:43 | And because they were foraken, they would have then been the more accepted, without any desert, by suffering the punishment of their iniquities; because they despised My statutes, and because their soul abhorred My ordinances. | The consequence of despising God's ordinances |
| Psalm 42:3 | My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" | Despair and questioning God's presence |
| Isaiah 3:8 | For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen, Because their tongues and their deeds are against the Lord, By provoking the eyes of His glory. | Cause of Jerusalem's ruin |
| Revelation 2:5 | Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works; or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. | Call to repent from falling away |
| Romans 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. | Consequence of sin and gift of salvation |
| Proverbs 16:25 | There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. | The deceptive nature of ungodly paths |
Jeremiah 13 verses
Jeremiah 13 7 Meaning
The Lord commanded Jeremiah to go and buy a linen loin belt, and to put it on his waist, but not to put it in water. This was a symbolic act ordained by God to illustrate the impending destruction and spiritual desolation of Jerusalem and its people, specifically concerning their idolatrous practices and defiance of God.
Jeremiah 13 7 Context
Jeremiah 13 is situated within the historical context of Judah's impending judgment due to its pervasive sinfulness and unfaithfulness to God. The chapter continues Jeremiah's prophetic ministry during the reigns of Josiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah, a time when spiritual corruption was rampant and national disaster loomed. This particular verse, the start of a powerful prophetic drama, sets the stage for God's demonstration of how Judah's sin would lead to their utter ruin, becoming like a spoiled loin belt. The action described in verse 7 is the initial, crucial step in this object lesson, depicting Jeremiah's obedience to a divine command that would culminate in a tangible illustration of God's displeasure and the people's impending judgment.
Jeremiah 13 7 Word analysis
- And: Conjunction indicating continuation and progression.
- Go: Imperative verb, commanding action. Hebrew: הָלֵךְ (halēḵ) - "to go," "to walk," "to proceed." Signifies an immediate and direct mandate.
- Now: Adverb of time, emphasizing the present necessity of the action. Hebrew: עַתָּה (ʿattâ) - "now," "at this time." Underscores urgency.
- Get: Imperative verb. Hebrew: קַנֵּה (qannē) - "to acquire," "to buy," "to obtain." The action is to procure something.
- You: Second person pronoun, directly addressing Jeremiah.
- A linen: Noun, specifying the material. Hebrew: בּוּץ (bûṣ) - "fine linen," "byssus." Often associated with royalty, priests, or things of value and purity, which makes its spoiling more poignant.
- Loin-belt: Noun, a band worn around the waist. Hebrew: חֲגוֹר (ḥăgôr) - "a girdle," "a belt." A personal item worn close to the body.
- And put: Imperative verb, commanding placement.
- It: Pronoun referring to the linen belt.
- On: Preposition indicating position.
- Your waist: Noun, the part of the body. Hebrew: מָתְנַיִךְ (māṯənayḵ) - "your loins," "your waist." Symbolically, the waist is associated with strength and vitality, and by extension, personal identity and purity.
- Though: Conjunction indicating contrast or condition.
- You: Second person pronoun, Jeremiah.
- Not: Negative particle. Hebrew: אַל־ (ʾal) - a prohibition.
- Put: Imperative verb, commanding placement.
- It: Pronoun, the belt.
- Into: Preposition indicating a location.
- Water: Noun. Hebrew: מַיִם (māyim) - "water." Water can symbolize cleansing or, in other contexts, destruction (like the flood). Here, the prohibition against immersing it implies preserving its dry, intact state before its intended ruin.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Go now get you a linen loin-belt": This is a direct, divine command given to the prophet. The specific instruction to obtain a linen belt emphasizes that this is not a spontaneous act but a preordained, divinely sanctioned symbol. Linen often represented purity or high status, making its planned desecration more impactful.
- "And put it on your waist": This action symbolizes a close, personal connection or dependence. Just as a belt is an integral part of one's attire, clinging to the body, God had originally made Israel cling to Him in a similar intimate way.
- "Though you shall not put it into water": This prohibition is crucial. It signifies that the belt is to be kept in its original, dry, pure state. The avoidance of water is preparatory for a subsequent event where its deterioration would be caused by immersion and drying, mirroring how God intended to corrupt Israel's pride and apostasy through judgment, making it irreparable and revealed for what it was—worthless.
Jeremiah 13 7 Bonus section
The imagery of a loin belt being rendered useless by being "put in water" (which was likely the method by which it was prepared for reuse, perhaps by washing and then drying, or even left to rot if put into stagnant water) contrasts with the intended purpose of a belt to be durable and secure. The subsequent steps of the prophecy reveal that the spoiled belt symbolizes Judah's spoiled condition, their pride rendered useless, their adherence to God lost, and their identity corrupted to the point of no return through their idolatry and disobedience, ultimately leading to their scattering and exile, like a useless, discarded item. The un-watered, intact belt in this verse is a representation of God's original intention for His people, a stark contrast to their current, destined corrupted state.
Jeremiah 13 7 Commentary
Jeremiah is instructed to acquire a linen belt and wear it. This simple act of obedience serves as the prelude to a powerful prophetic object lesson concerning the state of Judah. The linen belt, often associated with purity and the body, is to be worn by Jeremiah to signify the deep connection God had with Israel, like a belt to the waist. However, the command not to put it in water is key; it means the belt is to remain clean and intact for now. This sets up the next stage of the prophecy, where the belt will be intentionally corrupted, mirroring the corruption of Judah's heart and its impending desolation. The unadulterated state of the belt is like Judah's original consecration to God.