Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 13
Albert Barnes Commentary
Jeremiah 13
Albert Barnes Commentary
Jeremiah 13
"Thus saith Jehovah unto me, Go, and buy thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water." — Jeremiah 13:1 (ASV)
A linen girdle - The appointed dress of the priestly order (Leviticus 16:4).
Put it not in water - that is, do not wash it, and so let it represent the deep-grained pollution of the people.
"Take 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." — Jeremiah 13:4 (ASV)
In a hole of the rock - “In a cleft of the rock.” As there are no fissured rocks in Babylonia, the place where Jeremiah hid the girdle must have been somewhere in the upper part of the river.
"And 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." — Jeremiah 13:6 (ASV)
Many days — The seventy years’ captivity.
"This 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." — Jeremiah 13:10 (ASV)
This verse limits the application of the symbol. Only the ungodly and the idolatrous part of the people decayed at Babylon. The religious portion was strengthened and invigorated by the exile (Jeremiah 24:5–7).
"For 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." — Jeremiah 13:11 (ASV)
The reason why the girdle was chosen as the symbol. Similarly, Israel was the people chosen and set apart so that in them and by them the Holy Spirit might work for the salvation of mankind.
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