Jeremiah 13:1-11 · Bible study
Jeremiah 13:1-11 Commentary: The Linen Belt
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
This symbolic act of the linen belt shows how Judah's pride will be ruined by exile because they refused to listen to God's word.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Judah's pride and disobedience will lead to exile, rendering them as useless as a ruined linen belt.
- Key words: ezor (linen belt), Perath (Euphrates), gaon (pride/excellence), shachat (ruin), shama (hear/obey).
- Main debate: Whether Jeremiah's journey was literal (Keil, Barnes) or visionary (Calvin, Gill); also the location of Perath.
- Theological theme: God's covenant intimacy with His people, their corruption through sin, and the judgment that follows refusal to listen.
- Best use: A vivid illustration for sermons or small-group studies on pride, judgment, repentance, and God's original purpose for His people.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1This is what the LORD said to me: “Go and buy yourself a linen loincloth and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.”
2So I bought a loincloth as the LORD had instructed me, and I put it around my waist.
3Then the word of the LORD came to me a second time:
4“Take the loincloth that you bought and are wearing, and go at once to Perath and hide it there in a crevice of the rocks.”
5So I went and hid it at Perath, as the LORD had commanded me.
6Many days later the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to Perath, and get the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there.”
7So I went to Perath and dug up the loincloth, and I took it from the place where I had hidden it. But now it was ruined—of no use at all.
8Then the word of the LORD came to me:
9“This is what the LORD says: In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10These evil people, who refuse to listen to My words, who follow the stubbornness of their own hearts, and who go after other gods to serve and worship them, they will be like this loincloth—of no use at all.
11For just as a loincloth clings to a man’s waist, so I have made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to Me, declares the LORD, so that they might be My people for My renown and praise and glory. But they did not listen.
WEB World English Bible 2000
1Yahweh said to me, “Go, and buy yourself a linen belt, and put it on your waist, and don’t put it in water.”
2So I bought a belt according to Yahweh’s word, and put it on my waist.
3Yahweh’s word came to me the second time, saying,
4“Take the belt that you have bought, which is on your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.”
5So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as Yahweh commanded me.
6After many days, Yahweh said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the belt from there, which I commanded you to hide there.”
7Then 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.
8Then Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
9“Yahweh says, ‘In this way I will ruin the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and have gone after other gods to serve them and to worship them, will even be as this belt, which is profitable for nothing.
11For 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.’
KJV King James Version 1769
1Thus saith the Lord unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
2So I got a girdle according to the word of the Lord, and put it on my loins.
3And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying,
4Take 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.
5So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me.
6And it came to pass after many days, that the Lord said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.
7Then 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.
8Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
9Thus saith the Lord, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.
11For 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1Thus saith Jehovah unto me, Go, and buy thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
2So I bought a girdle according to the word of Jehovah, and put it upon my loins.
3And the word of Jehovah came unto me the second time, saying,
4Take the girdle that thou hast bought, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.
5So I went, and hid it by the Euphrates, as Jehovah commanded me.
6And it came to pass after many days, that Jehovah said unto me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.
7Then I went to the 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.
8Then the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
9Thus saith Jehovah, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10This evil people, that refuse to hear my words, that walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and are gone after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is profitable for nothing.
11For 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 Jehovah; that they may be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1Thus said Jehovah unto me, `Go, and thou hast got for thee a girdle of linen, and hast placed it on thy loins, and into water thou dost not cause it to enter:'
2and I get the girdle, according to the word of Jehovah, and I place it on my loins.
3And there is a word of Jehovah unto me a second time, saying,
4`Take the girdle that thou hast got, that is on thy loins, and rise, go to Phrat, and hide it there in a hole of the rock;
5and I go and hide it by Phrat, as Jehovah commanded me.
6And it cometh to pass, at the end of many days, that Jehovah saith unto me, `Rise, go to Phrat, and take thence the girdle, that I commanded thee to hide there;'
7and I go to Phrat, and dig, and take the girdle from the place where I had hid it; and lo, the girdle hath been marred, it is not profitable for anything.
8And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying, `Thus said Jehovah:
9Thus do I mar the excellency of Judah, And the great excellency of Jerusalem.
10This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, Who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, And go after other gods to serve them, And to bow themselves to them, Yea it is--as this girdle, that is not profitable for anything.
11For, as the girdle cleaveth unto the loins of a man, So I caused to cleave unto Me The whole house of Israel, And the whole house of Judah, an affirmation of Jehovah, To be to Me for a people, and for a name, And for praise, and for beauty, And they have not hearkened.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1Thus said Jehovah unto me: Go and buy thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins; but dip it not in water.
2And I bought a girdle according to the word of Jehovah, and put it upon my loins.
3And the word of Jehovah came unto me the second time, saying,
4Take the girdle that thou hast bought, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
5So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as Jehovah had commanded me.
6And it came to pass at the end of many days, that Jehovah said unto me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence which I commanded thee to hide there.
7And I went to the Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it; and behold, the girdle was spoiled, it was good for nothing.
8And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
9Thus saith Jehovah: After this manner will I spoil the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and go after othergods, to serve them and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle which is good for nothing.
11For as a 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 Jehovah; 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.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1Thus saith the Lord to me: Go, and get thee a linen girdle, and thou shalt put it about thy loins, and shalt not put it into water.
2And I got a girdle according to the word of the Lord, and put it about my loins.
3And the word of the Lord came to me the second time, saying:
4Take the girdle which thou hast got, which is about thy loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
5And I went, and hid it by the Euphrates, as the Lord had commanded me.
6And it came to pass after many days, that the Lord said to me: Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from thence the girdle, which I commanded thee to hide there.
7And I went to the Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle out of the place where I had hid it and behold the girdle was rotten, so that it was fit for no use.
8And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
9Thus saith the Lord: After this manner will I make the pride of Juda, and the great pride of Jerusalem to rot.
10This wicked people, that will not hear my words, and that walk in the perverseness of their heart, and have gone after strange gods to serve them, and to adore them: and they shall be as this girdle ,which is fit for no use.
11For as the girdle sticketh close to the loins of a man, so have I brought close to me all the house of Israel, and all the house of Juda, saith the Lord: that they might be my people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 13:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this acted parable holds a stark message. The linen belt, worn next to the prophet's skin, represents the intimate relationship God established with Israel and Judah (Jer 13:11). God caused them to cling to Him as a belt clings to the waist. The command not to wash the belt (v.1) likely signifies the people's moral corruption, their filth left to fester (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). Hiding the belt at the Euphrates points to Babylon, the place of exile (Adam Clarke, Barnes). After many days (the seventy-year captivity), the belt was ruined, “profitable for nothing” (v.7, 10). God says plainly: “In this way I will ruin the pride of Judah” (v.9). The people who refused to hear, walked in stubbornness, and served other gods would become useless like the spoiled belt. Calvin and Gill stress that the fault lies with the people's disobedience, not with God's covenant. Barnes and Keil note that only the ungodly decayed; the faithful were preserved in exile. The central meaning is unanimous: judgment comes because the people did not listen.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal journey to Euphrates: The repeated first-person narration and the specific geographical name support a real journey; the distance underscores the certainty of exile (Barnes, Keil).
- Visionary or allegorical act: The impracticality of a 700 km round trip and the absence of any external evidence for such a journey suggest an inward vision (Calvin, Gill, Cambridge Bible).
- Local Perath interpretation: The Hebrew without 'the river' and the existence of a nearby site called Parah allow for a shorter, literal journey while still symbolizing exile (Henderson).
What is clear: The central message is not disputed: the ruin of the belt pictures the judgment of Judah and Jerusalem for their pride, stubbornness and refusal to listen to God's word.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of the symbolic act | The linen belt represents Israel and Judah in close relationship with God; the ruined belt signifies judgment for sin and exile. | Some interpret the belt as representing the whole nation (both faithful and unfaithful), while others (Barnes, Keil) hold that only the ungodly part of the people decayed in exile; the faithful were strengthened. |
| Literal or visionary action | The text describes the prophet buying, wearing, hiding and retrieving the belt; the event carries prophetic authority regardless of the mode. | Some commentators (Calvin, Gill, many moderns) regard the journey to the Euphrates as a vision or allegory, given the impractical distance (about 700 km round trip). Others (Barnes, Keil) argue for a literal act, noting that the Euphrates is the only geographically meaningful location for the symbol of Babylonian exile. |
| Location of Perath | The Hebrew word <em>Perath</em> usually denotes the Euphrates River; the passage connects the hiding place with the river of Babylon. | A minority view (Henderson, some in Cambridge Bible) suggests <em>Perath</em> refers to the village of Parah (Wady Fara) near Anathoth, which would make a short journey possible, though this loses the direct link to Babylon. |
| Significance of 'not washing' the belt | The command indicates that the belt was worn without washing, symbolizing moral or spiritual filth. | Some (Grotius, followed by JFB) see it as representing Israel's lack of inherent beauty or righteousness (they were not 'washed' by God, adopted by grace). Others (Ellicott) suggest it points to the filth of sin accumulating over time. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah's prophecy likely dates to the early reign of King Jehoiakim (609, 598 BC), when Judah faced growing pressure from Babylon. The linen belt (חֵזוֹר פִּשְׁתִּים, ezor pishtim) was an undergarment worn close to the skin, symbolizing intimacy and service. The command not to put it in water has drawn various explanations: some see it as leaving the garment unbleached (Grotius), others as allowing the natural sweat and dirt to accumulate, picturing the people's filth (Matthew Henry). The act of hiding the belt at the Euphrates (Hebrew Perath) has sparked debate. Most commentators agree it points to Babylon, the river that watered the land of exile (Clarke, Barnes). However, some scholars note that the Hebrew lacks the definite article “the river,” and suggest a location called Parah near Anathoth, which would be a short journey (Cambridge Bible). Either way, the journey, whether literal or visionary, serves as a vivid prophecy of deportation. The “many days” (v.6) correspond to the length of the exile (Barnes, Gill). The cleft of the rock (v.4) may symbolize the prisons where captives were confined (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). The word translated “pride” (gaon) carries the sense of majesty, excellence, or arrogance; Calvin opts for “excellency,” while most English versions render it as “pride.” The context of rampant idolatry and refusal to hear the prophets (v.10) explains the reason for judgment. This symbolic action draws on a tradition of prophetic signs (Isaiah 20:2; Ezekiel 4:1; Hebrews 1:1) that make God's word instantly visible and unforgettable.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Jeremiah 13:1-11. The passage is well preserved across Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions. One minor detail: in v.10, the KJV reads “imagination of their heart” while most modern versions render the Hebrew shrirut as “stubbornness of their heart.” This does not affect the meaning; both convey the idea of a fixed, rebellious disposition.
Reception History
This passage has been read throughout Christian history as a clear warning against pride and disobedience. Early church fathers (e.g., Jerome) viewed it as a judgment on Israel for idolatry, often linking the spoiled linen to the law's demands and the need for a new covenant. Reformation commentators like Calvin wrestled with the literal vs. visionary question, but all agreed on the core message of judgment. In more recent centuries, the prophecy has been used in preaching on national sin and repentance, particularly in contexts of social and spiritual decline. The image of the ruined belt continues to be a powerful illustration of how a once-honored relationship with God can be spoiled by unfaithfulness. Modern readers often focus on the emotional weight of God's lament at the end: “they would not hear.”
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Close to God, then corrupted. The linen belt worn unwashed pictures a people chosen for intimacy with God but allowed to accumulate moral filth. Their sin was not hidden.
- Hidden and ruined at the Euphrates. The act of hiding the belt in a rock cleft near the river of Babylon shows that exile will strip away Judah's pride and reveal their worthlessness apart from God.
- Useless, because they would not hear. The climax in v.11: God desired a people for His name, praise and glory. But they refused to listen. Judgment is not arbitrary, it is the consequence of refusal.
Five-point outline
- The command: buy a linen belt, wear it, do not wash it (v.1-2).
- The first journey: hide the belt at the Euphrates (v.3-5).
- The second journey: retrieve the belt after many days; it is ruined (v.6-7).
- The interpretation: God will ruin the pride of Judah and Jerusalem (v.8-10).
- The reason: they refused to hear even though God caused them to cling to Him (v.11).
Illustration hooks
- A piece of clothing left in a damp basement too long, discolored, smelly, unwearable. That is what sin does to a life once close to God.
- A wedding ring that a spouse refuses to wear, it still belongs to the giver but no longer means what it should. Israel still bore God's name but gave their allegiance elsewhere.
- A farmer's tool left out in the rain, it rusts and becomes useless. Judah's potential to be God's instrument for glory was ruined by neglect and disobedience.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is God really willing to throw away a people He chose? (The text says He ruined them, but not forever; Jeremiah also promises restoration.)
- What counts as “refusing to hear”? Is it outright rebellion or just drifting away? (V.10 describes a pattern: refusing to hear, walking in stubbornness, going after other gods.)
- How do I know if I am clinging to God or just wearing His name? (The belt clings, it's a picture of dependence, not religious routine.)
Leading a Discussion
This prophecy shows what happens when a people chosen for intimate relationship with God abandon Him for other loyalties. The linen belt was meant to cling, a picture of the devotion God desired. Instead, they became corrupt and then useless. As you discuss this passage, consider where your own trust and devotion lie.
Discussion questions
- Read Jeremiah 13:1-11 aloud. What stands out to you about the prophet's actions? What would it have felt like to perform such a sign?
- Why do you think God commanded the belt not to be washed? What might the accumulated dirt symbolise?
- The belt was hidden near the Euphrates and later ruined. What does this say about the effect of exile, or of prolonged separation from God?
- Verse 11 describes God’s original purpose: “a people, a name, praise, glory.” How does that purpose compare with what the people actually became?
- “They would not hear” appears twice (v.10-11). In what ways do people today “refuse to hear” God’s word while still claiming to belong to Him?
- Is there an area of pride or stubbornness in your own life that is making you “useless” for God’s purposes? What would it take to repent and cling again?
- How does this passage help you understand God’s heart, both His desire for closeness and His judgment when that closeness is rejected?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Jeremiah 19:1 | Thus said Yahweh, “Go, and buy a potter’s earthen container, and take some of the elders of the people and of the elders of the priests; |
| Jeremiah 27:2 | Yahweh says to me: “Make bonds and bars, and put them on your neck. |
| Ezekiel 4:1 | “You also, son of man, take a tile, and lay it before yourself, and portray on it a city, even Jerusalem. |
| Ezekiel 4:5 | For I have appointed the years of their iniquity to be to you a number of days, even three hundred ninety days. So you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. |
| Hebrews 1:1 | God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, |
| Proverbs 3:5 | Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. |
| Isaiah 20:2 | at that time Yahweh spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and loosen the sackcloth from off your waist, and take your sandals from off your feet.” He did so, walking naked and barefoot. |
| Ezekiel 2:8 | But you, son of man, hear what I tell you. Don’t be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth, and eat that which I give you.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke treats the ruined linen girdle as a direct symbol of Judah's total moral corruption, with the Euphrates hiding place specifically pointing to their coming exile in Chaldea. He emphasizes that the prophecy, delivered during Jeconiah's reign, uses this vivid emblem to show God would mar the nation's pride through captivity.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes insists the prophet's rotting linen girdle was a literal object lesson, not just an allegory. He notes that only the ungodly and idolatrous among Israel decayed during exile, while the faithful were strengthened. The girdle itself symbolizes the nation chosen for God's redemptive purpose.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues the rotting belt does not represent Judah's pride but their spoiled excellency—the dignity God gave them as His own ornament. Their defection, not God's failure, made that gift worthless. They rejected the prophets and followed foreign gods, so God marred what He had once adorned.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator argues that the spoiled girdle symbolizes Judah's humiliation through exile, not their moral corruption itself. Jeremiah, wearing the girdle, represents God, and the hiding at the Euphrates alludes to transportation. Moral corruption is the cause, but the symbol depicts the resulting fall from pride.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill treats the linen girdle as an emblem of Israel's intended closeness to God, cleaving to Him like a girdle to a man's loins. Its ruin after being hidden by the Euphrates pictures their corruption through idolatry, leaving them as worthless as the rotten sash. He notes these actions were likely carried out in a vision, not on literal journeys.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch insist the prophet literally travelled twice to the Euphrates, rejecting the view that this was merely a vision. The linen girdle, kept unwashed and then hidden to rot, symbolizes Israel's priestly calling spoiled by unrepented sin. The decay at the Euphrates foreshadows the physical ruin of exile, the inevitable consequence of moral corruption.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that the linen girdle pressed close to the prophet’s body pictures how God intended Israel to cling tightly to him. Being hidden at the Euphrates until it rotted shows that their own pride and disobedience would leave them spoiled and completely worthless. The whole sign was given to shock a dull people into seeing their true condition.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that most interpreters believe Jeremiah carried out this action in a vision rather than physically, since the distance from Anathoth to the Euphrates River was impossibly long for a single journey.