Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 13:1-7

"Thus saith Jehovah unto me, Go, and buy thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water. So I bought a girdle according to the word of Jehovah, and put it upon my loins. And the word of Jehovah came unto me the second time, saying, 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. So I went, and hid it by the Euphrates, as Jehovah commanded me. 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. 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 13:1-7 (ASV)

Here, the prophet shows the dignity of the people based on their connection to God.

The passage is divided into two parts. The first is an analogy. The second is the application of the analogy, which begins at and the word of the Lord came to me (Jeremiah 13:8).

The first part, the analogy, contains three elements:

1. The people’s reception into divine intimacy is signified by the Lord’s command: go—more precisely, go to the place where such things are sold—because God Himself first came to the people. Not as though we had loved God, but because he first loved us (1 John 4:10).

   Acquire, from Me, so that you may possess it by proper right, as a proprietor owns his inheritance. Moreover, my inheritance is Israel (Isaiah 19:25). For yourself, for your own use, just as the people exist for the glory of God. I have formed this people for myself; they will tell forth my praise (Isaiah 43:21). A girdle, which clings to the waist, where the desire of love resides; in the same way, the people are received into the divine love. With the cords of Adam I will draw them, with the cords of love (Hosea 11:4). Linen, which is taken from the earth unrefined and is beautified by human labor; in the same way, the people are beautified by divine labor.Cultu divino could mean either “by God’s labor” or “by man’s service to God.” But passing by you, I saw you trampled in your own blood (Ezekiel 16:6).

   And you shall not put it in water. Gird your loins like a man; I will inquire of you, answer me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? (Job 38:3).

   Because divine things are mystically expressed through the prophet’s deeds and not only his words, it is said, I have been represented in the hands of the prophets (Hosea 12:10). For this reason, the text then gives the fulfillment of the command: I acquired, which notes the prophet’s obedience. Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations; he walked with God (Genesis 6:9).

2. The rejection of the people is signified: and the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying:

   take—from yourself; in the same way, I will cast the people away from Me. go to the Euphrates—which signifies the power of the Assyrians and Chaldeans, by whom the people were led captive. The Lord will bring upon them the waters of the river, many and mighty, the king of the Assyrians, and all his glory. And it will rise above all its channels, and overflow all its banks, and will go as a flood through Judah, and passing by, it shall come to the neck (Isaiah 8:7–8). Hide—just as the people were hidden by the waters, as it were: he swallowed me; like a dragon he filled his belly with my tender meats, and he has cast me out (Jeremiah 51:34). in the cleft, so that it would not flow away with the water, signifies that there would be a future remnant of the people and that they would not perish entirely. But I will not make an end (Jeremiah 4:27).

3. The restoration of the people is signified.

   The restoration itself is first signified by the phrase and it happened after many days, which indicates that they will be in captivity for many years. When seventy years shall be fulfilled in Babylon, I shall visit you, and stir up my good word upon you, and lead you back to this place (Jeremiah 29:10). Take from there—in just this way, I will bring the people back. I shall certainly take you from among the nations, and I will gather you from every land, and lead you to your land (Ezekiel 36:24).

   Second, the character of the people after their return is signified: and behold, the girdle was corrupted. In the same way, the power and beauty of the people had been consumed. Shall it be useful for any work? Even when it was whole it was not fit for work, how much more when fire has consumed it, and burned it. Shall any work be done with it? (Ezekiel 15:5).