Jeremiah 13:2
New International Version
So I bought a belt, as the LORD directed, and put it around my waist.

New Living Translation
So I bought the loincloth as the LORD directed me, and I put it on.

English Standard Version
So I bought a loincloth according to the word of the LORD, and put it around my waist.

Berean Standard Bible
So I bought a loincloth in accordance with the word of the LORD, and I put it around my waist.

Berean Literal Bible
And I acquired a loincloth, according to the word of YHWH, and I put it around my waist.

King James Bible
So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.

New King James Version
So I got a sash according to the word of the LORD, and put it around my waist.

New American Standard Bible
So I bought the undergarment in accordance with the word of the LORD, and put it around my waist.

NASB 1995
So I bought the waistband in accordance with the word of the LORD and put it around my waist.

NASB 1977
So I bought the waistband in accordance with the word of the LORD and put it around my waist.

Legacy Standard Bible
So I bought the belt in accordance with the word of Yahweh and put it around my loins.

Amplified Bible
So I bought the waistband according to the word of the LORD and put it on my loins.

Berean Annotated Bible
So I bought a loincloth in accordance with the word of the LORD {YHWH}, and I put it around my waist.

Christian Standard Bible
So I bought underwear as the LORD instructed me and put it on.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So I bought underwear as the LORD instructed me and put it on.

American Standard Version
So I bought a girdle according to the word of Jehovah, and put it upon my loins.

Contemporary English Version
So I bought a pair of shorts and put them on.

English Revised Version
So I bought a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it upon my loins.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So I bought the belt, as the LORD had told me, and put it around my waist.

Good News Translation
So I bought them and put them on.

International Standard Version
So I bought the belt according to the LORD's instruction, and put it around my waist.

NET Bible
So I bought the shorts as the LORD had told me to do and put them on.

New Heart English Bible
So I bought a belt according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my waist.

Webster's Bible Translation
So I procured a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
So I bought a loincloth in accordance with the word of the LORD, and I put it around my waist.

World English Bible
So I bought a belt according to Yahweh’s word, and put it on my waist.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And I get the girdle, according to the word of YHWH, and I place [it] on my loins.

Berean Literal Bible
And I acquired a loincloth, according to the word of YHWH, and I put it around my waist.

Young's Literal Translation
and I get the girdle, according to the word of Jehovah, and I place it on my loins.

Smith's Literal Translation
And I shall buy the girdle according to the word of Jehovah, and I shall put upon my loins.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I got a girdle accoding to the word of the Lord, and put it about my loins.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so I obtained a waistcloth, according to the word of the Lord, and I placed it around my loins.

New American Bible
I bought the loincloth, as the LORD commanded, and put it on.

New Revised Standard Version
So I bought a loincloth according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
So I bought a girdle according to the word of the LORD and put it on my loins.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I bought a loin cloth, according to the word of LORD JEHOVAH, and I bound it on my waist
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it upon my loins.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
So I procured the girdle according to the word of the Lord, and put it about my loins.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Linen Loincloth
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:…

Cross References
So I bought a loincloth

Genesis 3:7
And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed together fig leaves and made coverings for themselves.

Jeremiah 19:1-2
This is what the LORD says: “Go and buy a clay jar from a potter. Take some of the elders of the people and leaders of the priests, / and go out to the Valley of Ben-hinnom near the entrance of the Potsherd Gate. Proclaim there the words I speak to you,

Hosea 3:2
So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.
in accordance with the word of the LORD,

1 Kings 17:5
So Elijah did what the LORD had told him, and he went and lived by the Brook of Cherith, east of the Jordan.

Exodus 7:6
So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them.

Exodus 40:16
Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded him.
and I put it around my waist.

Exodus 28:42-43
Make linen undergarments to cover their bare flesh, extending from waist to thigh. / Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die. This is to be a permanent statute for Aaron and his descendants.

2 Kings 1:8
“He was a hairy man,” they answered, “with a leather belt around his waist.” “It was Elijah the Tishbite,” said the king.

Isaiah 11:5
Righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the sash around His waist.
Isaiah 20:2-4
the LORD had already spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and the sandals from your feet.” And Isaiah did so, walking around naked and barefoot. / Then the LORD said, “Just as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush, / so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, naked and barefoot, with bared buttocks—to Egypt’s shame.

Ezekiel 4:1-3
“Now you, son of man, take a brick, place it before you, and draw on it the city of Jerusalem. / Then lay siege against it: Construct a siege wall, build a ramp to it, set up camps against it, and place battering rams around it on all sides. / Then take an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between yourself and the city. Turn your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel.

Ezekiel 5:1-4
“As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword, use it as a barber’s razor, and shave your head and beard. Then take a set of scales and divide the hair. / When the days of the siege have ended, you are to burn up a third of the hair inside the city; you are also to take a third and slash it with the sword all around the city; and you are to scatter a third to the wind. For I will unleash a sword behind them. / But you are to take a few strands of hair and secure them in the folds of your garment. …

Hosea 1:2-3
When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, He told him, “Go, take a prostitute as your wife and have children of adultery, because this land is flagrantly prostituting itself by departing from the LORD.” / So Hosea went and married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

1 Kings 11:29-31
During that time, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met Jeroboam on the road as he was going out of Jerusalem. Now Ahijah had wrapped himself in a new cloak, and the two of them were alone in the open field. / And Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing, tore it into twelve pieces, / and said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and I will give you ten tribes.

2 Kings 2:8
And Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the waters, which parted to the right and to the left, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

2 Kings 2:13-14
Elisha also picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah, and he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. / Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. And when he had struck the waters, they parted to the right and to the left, and Elisha crossed over.


Treasury of Scripture

So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.

according.

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Isaiah 20:2
At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

Ezekiel 2:8
But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.

Jump to Previous
Accordance Band Belt Body Bought Directed Girdle Loins Price Procured Round Waist Waistband Waistcloth Word
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Accordance Band Belt Body Bought Directed Girdle Loins Price Procured Round Waist Waistband Waistcloth Word
Jeremiah 13
1. By the type of a linen belt, hidden at Euphrates,
9. God prefigures the destruction of his people.
12. By the parable of bottles filled with wine he foretells their drunkenness in misery.
15. He exhorts to prevent their future judgments.
22. He shows their abominations are the cause thereof.












So I bought a loincloth
In ancient Near Eastern culture, a loincloth was a common garment, often made of linen, symbolizing purity and service. Jeremiah's purchase of the loincloth signifies obedience to God's command, reflecting the intimate relationship between God and His people. The act of buying the loincloth is a prophetic symbol of Israel's initial closeness to God, akin to a garment closely worn by the body. This imagery is used to illustrate Israel's intended role as a people set apart for God, much like a priestly garment.

in accordance with the word of the LORD
This phrase emphasizes Jeremiah's role as a prophet who acts in direct obedience to divine instruction. The phrase underscores the authority of God's word and the importance of following His commands precisely. It highlights the theme of prophetic obedience found throughout the Bible, where God's messengers are called to act out His messages as a form of living parable. This obedience is a model for believers, demonstrating the importance of aligning one's actions with God's will.

and I put it around my waist
The act of wearing the loincloth around the waist symbolizes the closeness and binding relationship between God and His people. In biblical symbolism, the waist is often associated with strength and readiness for action, as seen in Ephesians 6:14, where believers are instructed to gird their loins with truth. This act by Jeremiah serves as a visual representation of how Israel was meant to be bound to God, serving as His witness to the nations. The imagery also foreshadows the eventual separation due to Israel's unfaithfulness, as later described in the chapter.

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. He uses symbolic actions to convey His messages.

3. Loincloth
A piece of clothing that Jeremiah is instructed to buy and wear. It symbolizes the close relationship God intended to have with Israel and Judah, which has been marred by their disobedience.

4. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, which is the primary audience of Jeremiah's prophecies. They are warned of the consequences of their idolatry and unfaithfulness.

5. Symbolic Action
The act of buying and wearing the loincloth serves as a prophetic symbol of the intimate relationship God desires with His people and the consequences of their spiritual adultery.
Teaching Points
Symbolism in Prophecy
God often uses physical symbols to communicate deeper spiritual truths. Understanding these symbols can enhance our comprehension of His messages.

Intimacy with God
The loincloth represents the closeness God desires with His people. Reflect on your personal relationship with God and consider ways to deepen that intimacy.

Obedience to God's Instructions
Jeremiah's immediate obedience to God's command serves as a model for us. Consider how you respond to God's instructions in your life.

Consequences of Unfaithfulness
The eventual fate of the loincloth symbolizes the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness. Reflect on the areas of your life where you may be straying from God's will.

God's Persistent Love
Despite the people's unfaithfulness, God's actions through Jeremiah demonstrate His persistent love and desire for restoration. Contemplate God's unwavering love in your own life.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Jeremiah 13:2?

2. Why did Jeremiah obey God's command to wear the linen belt?

3. How does Jeremiah 13:2 illustrate obedience to God's specific instructions?

4. What other biblical examples show obedience to seemingly unusual commands?

5. How can we discern and follow God's guidance in our daily lives?

6. What personal "linen belt" might God be asking you to wear today?

7. What is the significance of the linen belt in Jeremiah 13:2?

8. How does Jeremiah 13:2 reflect God's relationship with Israel?

9. Why did God instruct Jeremiah to buy a linen belt?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 13?

11. (Jeremiah 13:16-17) Isn't it contradictory for God to demand repentance while also foretelling inevitable punishment?

12. How can Jeremiah 21:2 claim the Lord would not rescue Jerusalem when other passages promise divine protection for the city?

13. In Jeremiah 2:8, why do historical records and other biblical accounts seemingly fail to mention the prophets and priests abandoning the Lord so decisively?

14. Why is Huldah consulted instead of more prominent prophets in 2 Kings 22:14-20, and what does this imply about the narrative's historical credibility?
What Does Jeremiah 13:2 Mean
So I bought a loincloth

• Jeremiah’s immediate action highlights prophetic symbolism, just as Hosea married Gomer to depict Israel’s unfaithfulness (Hosea 1:2–3) and Isaiah walked barefoot to warn of exile (Isaiah 20:2–4).

• A loincloth (linen waistband) was an everyday, personal garment—setting the stage for a lesson about Israel’s daily relationship with God.

• The purchase shows Jeremiah staking his own resources on God’s message, much like his later purchase of a field as a sign of future hope (Jeremiah 32:6–9).

• Symbolic acts amplify God’s word by turning doctrine into visible reality (Ezekiel 4:1–3).


in accordance with the word of the LORD

• Obedience is emphasized: “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22). Jeremiah does exactly what he is told without delay.

• This models the call given at Jeremiah’s commissioning: “Whatever I command you, you shall speak” (Jeremiah 1:7).

• Genuine faith responds promptly—“I hurried and did not delay to keep Your commandments” (Psalm 119:60).

• James echoes the same principle: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).


and I put it around my waist

• Wearing the loincloth presses it close to the prophet’s body, illustrating God’s intent for Israel: “For as the waistband clings to a man’s waist, so I have bound the whole house of Israel…that they might be My people” (Jeremiah 13:11).

• The waist speaks of readiness and stability—“You are to eat it with your cloak tucked into your belt” (Exodus 12:11) and “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist” (Ephesians 6:14).

• Closeness to God is meant to be intimate and constant, not occasional. Peter applies the same imagery to mental alertness: “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind” (1 Peter 1:13).

• The prophet’s act also anticipates the future judgment signified when the belt is later ruined, showing how pride would destroy Judah’s intended closeness to the Lord.


summary

• Jeremiah purchases, obeys, and wears the loincloth to provide a living illustration of Israel’s intended intimacy with God.

• His swift compliance models wholehearted obedience to divine revelation.

• The garment’s position around the waist pictures the people’s rightful place—secure, useful, and close to the Lord—while foreshadowing the tragedy of their coming corruption when they refuse to remain bound to Him.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So I bought
וָאֶקְנֶ֥ה (wā·’eq·neh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7069: To erect, create, to procure, by purchase, to own

a loincloth
הָאֵז֖וֹר (hā·’ê·zō·wr)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 232: Something girt, a belt, a band

as the LORD
יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

instructed me,
כִּדְבַ֣ר (kiḏ·ḇar)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

and I put
וָאָשִׂ֖ם (wā·’ā·śim)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

it around
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

my waist.
מָתְנָֽי׃ (mā·ṯə·nāy)
Noun - mdc | first person common singular
Strong's 4975: The waist, small of the back, the loins


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 13:2 So I bought a belt according (Jer.)
Jeremiah 13:1
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