Jeremiah 22 3

Jeremiah 22:3 kjv

Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.

Jeremiah 22:3 nkjv

Thus says the LORD: "Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.

Jeremiah 22:3 niv

This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Jeremiah 22:3 esv

Thus says the LORD: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.

Jeremiah 22:3 nlt

This is what the LORD says: Be fair-minded and just. Do what is right! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. Quit your evil deeds! Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans, and widows. Stop murdering the innocent!

Jeremiah 22 verses

Jeremiah 22 3 Meaning

Thus says the Lord: "Go and get yourself a linen waistband, and put it on your waist, and do not dip it in water." This signifies that the prophet Jeremiah is commanded to acquire a linen loincloth and wear it without cleansing it, symbolizing the spiritual defilement and eventual destruction that will come upon Judah because of their disobedience.

Jeremiah 22 3 Context

Jeremiah 22:1-5 continues a series of pronouncements of judgment against the royal family and the people of Judah. This specific chapter is directed at the house of King Jehoiakim. The prophecy unfolds within the turbulent backdrop of Judah's declining monarchy, marked by corrupt leadership, idolatry, and a failure to uphold justice. Jeremiah's prophecies often used symbolic actions to vividly communicate God's message. This particular act of taking a linen loincloth and hiding it in a riverbed is a potent illustration of the nation's impending defilement and exile, signifying that their once-pure identity would be utterly ruined. The commands to the king to hear the word of the Lord are given within the context of impending Babylonian captivity, which would be a consequence of their covenant unfaithfulness.

Jeremiah 22 3 Word Analysis

• Thus (כֹּ֤ה – koh): Indicates the following is a direct pronouncement from the Lord.

• says (אָמַר֙ – amar): Standard verb for speaking, emphasizing divine utterance.

• the (יְהוָ֛ה – YHWH): The covenant name of God.

• Lord (כֹּ֗ה אָמַ֥ר יְהוָ֛ה – koh amar YHWH): A common prophetic formula signifying direct divine speech.

• Go (לֵ֣ךְ – lech): Imperative verb, commanding action.

• and (וְ)

• get (קְנֵה֙ – keneh): To acquire or buy.

• yourself (לְךָ֙ – lecha): For yourself, indicating personal acquisition.

• a (אַ֥חַת – achat): One.

• linen (בּ֣וּץ – butz): A fine white linen, often associated with purity, priestly garments, and royalty.

• waistband (אֵז֔וֹר – ezor): A girdle or sash worn around the waist. This was an article of clothing directly against the body.

• and (וְ)

• put (וּנְתַתָּ֞ה – une'tatah): And you shall put.

• it (אֹתָ֖הּ – otah): Refers to the linen waistband.

• on (עַל־)

• your (מָתְנֶ֑יךָ – matnaycha): Your waist/loins.

• and (וְ)

• do (וְלֹ֥א)

• not (תִטְבֹּ֖ל)

• dip (t’bol): Immerse or put in water.

• it (אֹתָ֖הּ – otah): The linen waistband.

• in (בַּמָּֽיִם֙ – bammayim): In the water.

• Linen waistband: The linen (butz) symbolizes purity and the intimate covering of the body. The commandment not to dip it in water signifies its contamination and the subsequent ruin of Judah’s state. This intimacy of the garment amplifies the spiritual adultery and the indelible stain of sin.

• Do not dip it in water: Water often symbolizes purification or cleansing in Scripture. The instruction not to use water highlights the inability to wash away the sin and the utter ruin that would befall the people. Their actions have so thoroughly defiled them that they cannot be purified through ordinary means.

Jeremiah 22 3 Bonus Section

This symbolic action of Jeremiah is part of a pattern of prophetic, living parables where God uses his prophet to physically represent the spiritual realities affecting the nation. It prefigures the inability of ceremonial cleansing or external religious acts to truly restore a nation deeply stained by sin and idolatry. The metaphor of a defiled garment is powerful and pervasive in Scripture, underscoring how sin mars the image of God in humanity and within the community. The subsequent abandonment of the waistband by the Euphrates also signifies their abandonment by God and their scattering among the nations.

Jeremiah 22 3 Commentary

The directive to Jeremiah to obtain and wear an unwashed linen waistband is a symbolic act designed to illustrate the severe spiritual corruption and impending judgment of Judah. The linen, usually pristine, becomes a sign of their sin, an indelible stain that water cannot cleanse. This points to the depth of their apostasy and the consequences of turning away from the Lord. The prophecy serves as a stark warning to King Jehoiakim and his court, emphasizing that their current path of disobedience and injustice will lead to utter ruin and defilement, not unlike the dirty waistband that will become useless and offensive. Their covenant relationship with God, meant to be a source of purity and life, is violated, resulting in their spiritual and national disintegration.