Jeremiah 13:6
Many days later the LORD said to me, "Arise, go to Perath, and get the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there."
Many days later
This phrase indicates a passage of time, suggesting a period of waiting and anticipation. In biblical narratives, waiting often signifies a period of testing or preparation. The delay emphasizes the importance of obedience and patience in following God's commands. This waiting period can be seen as a test of Jeremiah's faithfulness and trust in God's timing.

the LORD said to me
This highlights the direct communication between God and Jeremiah, underscoring Jeremiah's role as a prophet who receives divine revelation. The phrase emphasizes the authority and sovereignty of God in guiding His prophets. It reflects the intimate relationship between God and His chosen messengers, as seen throughout the Old Testament with figures like Moses and Samuel.

Arise, go to Perath
"Arise" signifies an urgent call to action, indicating that Jeremiah must respond promptly to God's command. "Perath" is often identified with the Euphrates River, a significant geographical location in the ancient Near East. The Euphrates was a major river that symbolized the boundary of Israel's influence and was associated with Babylon, a future oppressor of Judah. This journey to Perath symbolizes a connection to the impending Babylonian exile and judgment.

and get the loincloth
The loincloth represents an object lesson used by God to convey a spiritual truth. In ancient cultures, a loincloth was a garment worn close to the body, symbolizing intimacy and personal identity. The loincloth's condition would reflect the spiritual state of Judah, illustrating how they were once close to God but had become corrupted and useless due to their disobedience.

that I commanded you to hide there
This refers back to an earlier command where Jeremiah was instructed to hide the loincloth at Perath. The act of hiding the loincloth symbolizes the concealment of Judah's sins and the consequences of their actions. The hidden loincloth becomes a metaphor for the hidden sins of the people, which will eventually be exposed and judged by God. This act of hiding and retrieving the loincloth serves as a prophetic sign of the coming judgment and the need for repentance.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the people of Judah. Known for his lamentations and warnings of impending judgment due to the people's unfaithfulness.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who communicates His will and instructions to Jeremiah.

3. Perath
A location where Jeremiah was instructed to hide the loincloth. It is often associated with the Euphrates River, symbolizing a place of distance and significance in God's message.

4. The Loincloth
A symbolic object used by God to illustrate the relationship between Himself and His people. It represents intimacy and closeness, which is later marred by disobedience.

5. The Event of Retrieval
The act of retrieving the loincloth symbolizes the uncovering of the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness and the deterioration of their relationship with God.
Teaching Points
Symbolism in Prophecy
Understand that God often uses symbolic acts to communicate deeper spiritual truths. Reflect on how God might be using circumstances in your life to convey His message.

Obedience to God's Instructions
Jeremiah's obedience in following God's unusual command demonstrates the importance of trusting and following God's guidance, even when it seems unclear or challenging.

Consequences of Disobedience
The deteriorated loincloth serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of turning away from God. Consider areas in your life where you may need to realign with God's will.

God's Desire for Intimacy
The loincloth symbolizes the close relationship God desires with His people. Reflect on how you can cultivate a deeper, more intimate relationship with God.

Repentance and Restoration
Although the loincloth was ruined, God's messages often include a call to repentance and the promise of restoration. Seek God's forgiveness and embrace His grace for renewal.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does the act of hiding and retrieving the loincloth symbolize about Israel's relationship with God, and how can this apply to our personal walk with Him?

2. How does Jeremiah's obedience to God's unusual command challenge us in our own faith journey?

3. In what ways can we identify and address areas of pride or disobedience in our lives, as illustrated by the ruined loincloth?

4. How do other prophetic symbolic acts in the Bible, such as those by Isaiah and Ezekiel, enhance our understanding of God's communication methods?

5. What steps can we take to ensure that our relationship with God remains intimate and untainted by the influences of the world?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Jeremiah 13:1-11
Provides the full context of the symbolic act involving the loincloth, illustrating Israel's pride and eventual ruin due to their disobedience.

Isaiah 20:2-4
Another instance where a prophet uses a symbolic act to convey God's message, emphasizing the importance of obedience and the consequences of ignoring God's warnings.

Ezekiel 4:1-3
Similar to Jeremiah, Ezekiel uses symbolic actions to communicate God's impending judgment, highlighting the role of prophets in delivering God's messages through vivid illustrations.
Good Reasons for Singular ConductJeremiah 13:1-11
Nearness to God Destroyed by SinE. Jerman.Jeremiah 13:1-11
The Cast-Off GirdleJeremiah 13:1-11
The Marred GirdleA.F. Muir Jeremiah 13:1-11
The Marred GirdleD. Young Jeremiah 13:1-11
The Ruined Girdle; Or, it May be Too Late to MendS. Conway Jeremiah 13:1-12
People
Jeremiah
Places
Euphrates River, Jerusalem, Negeb
Topics
Arise, Band, Belt, Commanded, Euphrates, Euphra'tes, Girdle, Hide, Orders, Parah, Pass, Perath, Phrat, Rise, Thence, Waistband, Waistcloth
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 13:1-7

     5935   riddles

Jeremiah 13:1-11

     5131   belt

Library
An Impossibility Made Possible
'Can the Ethiopian change his skin?'--JER. xiii. 23. 'If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.'--2 COR. v. 17. 'Behold, I make all things new.'--REV. xxi. 5. Put these three texts together. The first is a despairing question to which experience gives only too sad and decisive a negative answer. It is the answer of many people who tell us that character must be eternal, and of many a baffled man who says, 'It is of no use--I have tried and can do nothing.' The second text is the grand Christian
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Notion of Inability.
PROPER METHOD OF ACCOUNTING FOR IT. I have represented ability, or the freedom of the will, as a first-truth of consciousness, a truth necessarily known to all moral agents. The inquiry may naturally arise, How then is it to be accounted for, that so many men have denied the liberty of the will, or ability to obey God? A recent writer thinks this denial a sufficient refutation of the affirmation, that ability is a first-truth of consciousness. It is important that this denial should be accounted
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

On Earthly Things
The earth is man himself; in the gospel: another has fallen into the good earth. The same in a bad part about the sinner: you devour the earth all the days of your life. [Mark 4:18; Genesis 3:14] The dry lands are the flesh of a fruitless man; in Ecclesiastes, to work in a dry land with evil and sorrow. [Ecclesiastes 37:3] The dust is a sinner or the vanity of the flesh; in the psalm: like the dust, which the wind blows about. [Ps. 1:4 Vulgate] The mud is the gluttony of sinners; in the psalm: tear
St. Eucherius of Lyons—The Formulae of St. Eucherius of Lyons

The Cavils of the Pharisees Concerning Purification, and the Teaching of the Lord Concerning Purity - the Traditions Concerning Hand-Washing' and Vows. '
As we follow the narrative, confirmatory evidence of what had preceded springs up at almost every step. It is quite in accordance with the abrupt departure of Jesus from Capernaum, and its motives, that when, so far from finding rest and privacy at Bethsaida (east of the Jordan), a greater multitude than ever had there gathered around Him, which would fain have proclaimed Him King, He resolved on immediate return to the western shore, with the view of seeking a quieter retreat, even though it were
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

On the Animals
The birds are the saints, because they fly to the higher heart; in the gospel: and he made great branches that the birds of the air might live in their shade. [Mark 4:32] Flying is the death of the saints in God or the knowledge of the Scriptures; in the psalm: I shall fly and I shall be at rest. [Ps. 54(55):7 Vulgate] The wings are the two testaments; in Ezekiel: your body will fly with two wings of its own. [Ez. 1:23] The feathers are the Scriptures; in the psalm: the wings of the silver dove.
St. Eucherius of Lyons—The Formulae of St. Eucherius of Lyons

Covenanting Confers Obligation.
As it has been shown that all duty, and that alone, ought to be vowed to God in covenant, it is manifest that what is lawfully engaged to in swearing by the name of God is enjoined in the moral law, and, because of the authority of that law, ought to be performed as a duty. But it is now to be proved that what is promised to God by vow or oath, ought to be performed also because of the act of Covenanting. The performance of that exercise is commanded, and the same law which enjoins that the duties
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Meditations on the Hindrances which Keep Back a Sinner from the Practice of Piety.
Those hindrances are chiefly seven:-- I. An ignorant mistaking of the true meaning of certain places of the holy Scriptures, and some other chief grounds of Christian religion. The Scriptures mistaken are these: 1. Ezek. xxxiii. 14, 16, "At what time soever a sinner repenteth him of his sin, I will blot out all," &c. Hence the carnal Christian gathers, that he may repent when he will. It is true, whensoever a sinner does repent, God will forgive; but the text saith not, that a sinner may repent whensoever
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Jeremiah 13:6 NIV
Jeremiah 13:6 NLT
Jeremiah 13:6 ESV
Jeremiah 13:6 NASB
Jeremiah 13:6 KJV

Jeremiah 13:6 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Jeremiah 13:5
Top of Page
Top of Page