Jeremiah 13:7

Then 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.

Then I went {H3212} to Euphrates {H6578}, and digged {H2658}, and took {H3947} the girdle {H232} from the place {H4725} where I had hid {H2934} it: and, behold, the girdle {H232} was marred {H7843}, it was profitable {H6743} for nothing.

So I went to Parah and dug up the loincloth; but when I took it from the place where I had hidden it, I saw that it was ruined and useless for anything.

So 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.

Then 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.

Jeremiah 13:7 is a pivotal verse in a symbolic prophecy where the prophet Jeremiah acts out God's message to the people of Judah. It describes the retrieval of a linen girdle (belt) that had been hidden, revealing its corrupted state, symbolizing the spiritual condition of God's chosen people.

Context of the Girdle Prophecy

This verse is part of an extended prophetic action initiated by God in Jeremiah 13:1. God instructed Jeremiah to buy a linen girdle, wear it, and then hide it in a crevice by the Euphrates River for "many days." The act of retrieving the girdle, as described in this verse, reveals its decay. This entire scenario serves as a powerful visual metaphor for the nation of Judah. The Euphrates River points directly to the coming Babylonian exile, the land to which they would be carried away.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Symbolic Judgment: The ruined girdle is a tangible representation of Judah's moral and spiritual decay due to their persistent idolatry and disobedience. Just as the girdle was once clean and useful, Israel was once God's treasured possession, but their sin marred them.
  • Spiritual Corruption: The phrase "the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing" powerfully conveys the extent of Judah's corruption. Their turning away from God had rendered them spiritually useless and incapable of fulfilling their purpose as a holy nation set apart for the Lord.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: This prophecy vividly illustrates the inevitable outcome of rejecting God's covenant and commandments. The marring of the girdle directly correlates with the nation's destruction and exile, a direct consequence of their unfaithfulness.
  • God's Sorrow and Warning: While a message of judgment, it also reflects God's deep sorrow over His people's state, providing a final, stark warning before the full weight of His judgment fell upon them.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "girdle," 'ezor (אֵזוֹר), refers to a belt, often symbolizing closeness, strength, or readiness. When worn close to the body, it represented the intimate relationship God desired with Israel, as mentioned in Jeremiah 13:11. The term "marred" comes from the Hebrew root shaḥat (שָׁחַת), which implies corruption, decay, or ruin. It's a strong verb used elsewhere to describe moral depravity or physical destruction, emphasizing the complete deterioration of the girdle, and by extension, Judah's spiritual state.

Practical Application

The message of the marred girdle remains relevant today. It serves as a potent reminder for believers and communities:

  • The Danger of Spiritual Neglect: Just as the girdle decayed when neglected, our spiritual lives can become "marred" if we stray from God, neglect His Word, or engage in sin.
  • Maintaining Usefulness: To be "profitable" for God's kingdom, we must remain close to Him, allowing His Spirit to cleanse and renew us. When we drift, we become less effective in His service.
  • The Call to Repentance: This passage is a call to recognize spiritual decay and return to God before complete ruin sets in. God always desires repentance and restoration.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Romans 3:12

    They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

  • Isaiah 64:6

    ¶ But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

  • Luke 14:34

    Salt [is] good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

  • Luke 14:35

    It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; [but] men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

  • Jeremiah 24:1

    ¶ The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs [were] set before the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.

  • Jeremiah 24:8

    And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:

  • Zechariah 3:3

    Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

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