אֵזוֹר (e.zor)
e.zor
girdle
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 11 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun ezor refers to a girdle or sash, specifically the innermost garment worn around the waist. In the ancient Near East, this was not merely decorative; it was a functional piece of clothing that held other garments in place and allowed for freedom of movement. When someone tied their ezor tight, they were physically preparing themselves for labor or battle, signaling readiness and alertness.
The Hebrew Bible uses this concrete image to describe spiritual states. Jeremiah speaks of wearing the ezor of truth or faithfulness (Jeremiah 13:1-11), suggesting that integrity is as essential to a person’s character as a sash is to their clothing. Conversely, God describes Himself as girding His loins with strength, a metaphor for divine power and authority over nations.
This word appears eleven times in Scripture, with significant occurrences in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Job. The imagery shifts between human moral fidelity and God’s sovereign might. Translators often render it simply as "girdle" or "belt," preserving the sense of something worn close to the body that defines one's posture and capability.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ezor describes a sash or belt worn close to the skin in ancient times. It was not just an accessory but a practical tool that held clothing tight for work or battle. This physical reality helps us understand how Scripture uses the image: integrity and truth are meant to be as essential and close-fitting as a belt is to the body.
In Isaiah 11:5, we see righteousness described as this very belt around God’s messianic figure. It suggests that moral strength is not an outer layer but something that defines posture and capability. When we read of Jeremiah hiding a ruined linen belt in Jeremiah 13, it reminds us that clinging to God is meant for life and purpose, while turning away leads to uselessness.
For your daily walk, this image invites you to consider what holds you together. Are you wearing the truth close to your heart, ready for whatever day brings? The Bible encourages a life where faithfulness is not loose or hanging loosely, but securely fastened, allowing you to move with purpose and grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 11 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ loincloth5×
- [the] waistband of3×
- like the/ loincloth1×
- and/ a loincloth of1×
- a loincloth of1×
- a loincloth1×
- <the>/ loincloth1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אֵז֣וֹר3×
- הָ֣/אֵז֔וֹר2×
- כָּ/אֵז֣וֹר1×
- וְ/אֵז֥וֹר1×
- הָ/אֵז֜וֹר1×
- הָ/אֵז֛וֹר1×
- הָ/אֵז֖וֹר1×
- הָ/אֵז֔וֹר1×
- אֵז֥וֹר1×
- אֵ֝ז֗וֹר1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 11:5
Righteousness will be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his waist.
This verse uniquely identifies righteousness and faithfulness as the literal belt of the coming king, linking moral character directly to divine authority.
-
Jeremiah 13:11
For as the belt 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 Yahweh; ‘that they may be to me for a people, for a name, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’
Here the word illustrates God’s desire for Israel to cling to Him closely, just as a belt clings to the waist, highlighting intimacy and purpose.
-
Isaiah 5:27
No one shall be weary nor stumble among them; no one shall slumber nor sleep, neither shall the belt of their waist be untied, nor the strap of their sandals be broken,
The text notes that the belt of their waist is not untied, using the image to describe military readiness and unbroken strength in battle.
-
Jeremiah 13:7
Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took the belt from the place where I had hidden it; and behold, the belt was ruined. It was profitable for nothing.
The ruined belt found at the Euphrates serves as a stark object lesson on how spiritual fidelity can decay when separated from God's command.