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Journey of a Passage

Jeremiah 13:1–11

The linen girdle and "Perath": Euphrates, or a spring near Anathoth?

God tells Jeremiah to buy a linen loincloth, wear it, then take it "to Perath" and hide it in a cleft of the rock; "after many days" he digs it up, and "the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing" (13:1–7). So will God ruin the pride of Judah: as a loincloth clings to a man, Israel was meant to cling to God "for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear" (vv. 8–11). Perath is the ordinary Hebrew name of the Euphrates, some 500 km away, and the Greek and Latin translate it so. But a round trip of perhaps 2,000 km, twice, has led many scholars to read the story as a vision or parable, or to propose a nearer place: Parah (Joshua 18:23), the spring of Ein Prat in the Wadi Qelt, a few kilometres from Anathoth, whose name echoes Perath.

Same letters, different readings: the consonants agree, but ancient readers vocalized or interpreted them differently

The family tree

Each row is a language or text tradition. Witnesses in the same row may share ancestry, revise one another, or have an uncertain relationship; the line under each box says which. A solid arrow appears only where direct copying or a documented revised edition is established. Order by date never implies copying. Scroll sideways on a phone.

✓ contains it · ✕ does not · ❝ quotes part of it · ⓘ reports on manuscripts · ▢ pages lost · – no copy survives

  • Same line, through lost copies
  • Translation
Hebrew
  1. The words as first spoken or writtenlate 7th–6th century BC (by section; debated)
  2. 4QJer-a (4Q70), Qumran Cave 4c. 200 BC (palaeography; reported)Descends, through lost copies, from The words as first spoken or written
  3. Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)AD 1008Descends, through lost copies, from The words as first spoken or written
Greek
  1. Greek Jeremiah (library: Giguet's French)Greek translation c. 2nd century BC; French 1872Translated from the Old Greek Jeremiah (a shorter edition)
Latin
  1. Latin Vulgate (Clementine)Jerome c. AD 400, from Hebrew; edition 1592Translated from the Hebrew text Jerome used
English
  1. King James Bible1611Translated from printed Masoretic Hebrew

Every witness, in order

  1. late 7th–6th century BC (by section; debated)

    The words as first spoken or written

    – No copy survives

    No original survives, and Jeremiah circulated in at least two ancient Hebrew editions: a shorter one behind the Old Greek and the longer one preserved as the Masoretic Text. The oldest copies are six fragmentary Qumran manuscripts (2QJer, 4QJer-a to 4QJer-e), from about 200 BC to the 1st century AD.

  2. c. 200 BC (palaeography; reported)

    4QJer-a (4Q70), Qumran Cave 4

    ◐ Contains part of itDescends, through lost copies, from The words as first spoken or written

    How the site knows this: Described from a published transcription of the manuscript. Described in the site's own words from Martin Abegg's transcription (ETCBC/CACCHT Dead Sea Scrolls dataset v2.0.5); the transcription itself is not reproduced. Photographs and DJD XV not yet checked.

    Hebrew numbering: Jeremiah 13:1–11. A fragmentary copy: only parts of these verses survive, and in the transcription much of the passage is restored by the editors. Preserves parts of vv. 1–7, including the place name Perat ("Euphrates") in vv. 4–7 in the same form as the Masoretic Text, sometimes with the ending -ah ("to Perat") where the Masoretic Text lacks it in v. 7. The surviving letters do not decide whether Perat means the Euphrates or a nearer place.

  3. Jerome c. AD 400, from Hebrew; edition 1592

    Latin Vulgate (Clementine)

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from the Hebrew text Jerome used

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Clementine Vulgate (1592 edition).

    Hæc dicit Dominus ad me: Vade, et posside tibi lumbare lineum, et pones illud super lumbos tuos, et in aquam non inferes illud. Et possedi lumbare juxta verbum Domini, et posui circa lumbos meos. Et factus est sermo Domini ad me secundo, dicens: Tolle lumbare quod possedisti, quod est circa lumbos tuos: et surgens vade ad Euphraten, et absconde ibi illud in foramine petræ. Et abii, et abscondi illud in Euphrate, sicut præceperat mihi Dominus. Et factum est post dies plurimos, dixit Dominus ad me: Surge, vade ad Euphraten, et tolle inde lumbare quod præcepi tibi ut absconderes illud ibi. Et abii ad Euphraten, et fodi, et tuli lumbare de loco ubi absconderam illud: et ecce computruerat lumbare, ita ut nulli usui aptum esset. Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens: Hæc dicit Dominus: Sic putrescere faciam superbiam Juda, et superbiam Jerusalem multam: populum istum pessimum qui nolunt audire verba mea, et ambulant in pravitate cordis sui, abieruntque post deos alienos ut servirent eis et adorarent eos: et erunt sicut lumbare istud, quod nulli usui aptum est. Sicut enim adhæret lumbare ad lumbos viri, sic agglutinavi mihi omnem domum Israël, et omnem domum Juda, dicit Dominus, ut essent mihi in populum, et in nomen, et in laudem, et in gloriam: et non audierunt.

    Latin numbering: Jeremiah 13:1–11. Jerome translated Jeremiah from Hebrew (c. AD 400).

  4. AD 1008

    Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)

    ✓ Contains this passageDescends, through lost copies, from The words as first spoken or written

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, a digital transcription of the Leningrad Codex.

    כֹּֽה־אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י הָל֞וֹךְ וְקָנִ֤יתָ לְּךָ֙ אֵז֣וֹר פִּשְׁתִּ֔ים וְשַׂמְתּ֖וֹ עַל־מָתְנֶ֑יךָ וּבַמַּ֖יִם לֹ֥א תְבִאֵֽהוּ׃ וָאֶקְנֶ֥ה אֶת־הָאֵז֖וֹר כִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה וָאָשִׂ֖ם עַל־מָתְנָֽי׃ וַיְהִ֧י דְבַר־יְהוָ֛ה אֵלַ֖י שֵׁנִ֥ית לֵאמֹֽר׃ קַ֧ח אֶת־הָאֵז֛וֹר אֲשֶׁ֥ר קָנִ֖יתָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־מָתְנֶ֑יךָ וְקוּם֙ לֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וְטָמְנֵ֥הוּ שָׁ֖ם בִּנְקִ֥יק הַסָּֽלַע׃ וָאֵלֵ֕ךְ וָאֶטְמְנֵ֖הוּ בִּפְרָ֑ת כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אוֹתִֽי׃ וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י ק֚וּם לֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וְקַ֤ח מִשָּׁם֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֵז֔וֹר אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּיתִ֖יךָ לְטָמְנוֹ־שָֽׁם׃ וָאֵלֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וָאֶחְפֹּ֗ר וָֽאֶקַּח֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֵז֔וֹר מִן־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־טְמַנְתִּ֣יו שָׁ֑מָּה וְהִנֵּה֙ נִשְׁחַ֣ת הָאֵז֔וֹר לֹ֥א יִצְלַ֖ח לַכֹּֽל׃ וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה כָּ֠כָה אַשְׁחִ֞ית אֶת־גְּא֧וֹן יְהוּדָ֛ה וְאֶת־גְּא֥וֹן יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם הָרָֽב׃ הָעָם֩ הַזֶּ֨ה הָרָ֜ע הַֽמֵּאֲנִ֣ים ׀ לִשְׁמ֣וֹעַ אֶת־דְּבָרַ֗י הַהֹֽלְכִים֙ בִּשְׁרִר֣וּת לִבָּ֔ם וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים לְעָבְדָ֖ם וּלְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֣ת לָהֶ֑ם וִיהִי֙ כָּאֵז֣וֹר הַזֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יִצְלַ֖ח לַכֹּֽל׃ כִּ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ יִדְבַּ֨ק הָאֵז֜וֹר אֶל־מָתְנֵי־אִ֗ישׁ כֵּ֣ן הִדְבַּ֣קְתִּי אֵ֠לַי אֶת־כָּל־בֵּ֨ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל וְאֶת־כָּל־בֵּ֤ית יְהוּדָה֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וּלְשֵׁ֥ם וְלִתְהִלָּ֖ה וּלְתִפְאָ֑רֶת וְלֹ֖א שָׁמֵֽעוּ׃

    Take the loincloth you bought, which is on your waist, and get up, go to Perath, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock (v. 4)

    Hebrew numbering: Jeremiah 13:1–11.

  5. 1611

    King James Bible

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from printed Masoretic Hebrew

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: King James Version (1769 text).

    Thus saith the Lord unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water. So I got a girdle according to the word of the Lord, and put it on my loins. And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying, Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock. So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me. And it came to pass after many days, that the Lord said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there. 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 the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Thus saith the Lord, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. 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 the Lord; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.

  6. Greek translation c. 2nd century BC; French 1872

    Greek Jeremiah (library: Giguet's French)

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from the Old Greek Jeremiah (a shorter edition)

    How the site knows this: Known here only through a translation.

    Voici ce que dit le Seigneur: Pars et achète-toi une ceinture de lin, et mets-la autour de tes reins, et elle ne passera pas l’eau. Et j’achetai la ceinture, selon la parole du Seigneur, et je la mis autour de mes reins. Et la parole du Seigneur vint à moi, disant: Prends la ceinture qui entoure tes reins, et lèvetoi; puis va sur l’Euphrate, et en ce lieu cache-la dans une crevasse de rocher, Et je partis, et je cachai la ceinture près de l’Euphrate, comme me l’avait commandé le Seigneur. Et ceci arriva bien des jours après, le Seigneur me dit: Lève-toi, et va sur l’Euphrate, et retire de ce lieu la ceinture que je t’ai ordonné d’y cacher. Et j’allai sur l’Euphrate, et je creusai, et je retirai la ceinture du lieu où je l’avais enfouie, et voilà qu’elle était si consumée, qu’elle n’était plus bonne à rien. Et la parole du Seigneur vint à moi, disant: Voici ce que dit le Seigneur: Ainsi je consumerai l’orgueil de Juda et l’orgueil de Jérusalem, Et ce grand orgueil des hommes qui ne veulent point écouter ma parole, et qui ont marché à la nuit des dieux étrangers, pour les adorer et les servir. Et ils seront comme une ceinture qui n’est plus bonne à rien. Car de même qu’on attache une ceinture aux reins de l’homme, de même je m’étais attaché la maison d’Israël et toute la maison de Juda, pour qu’elles fussent mon peuple renommé, ma fierté et ma gloire; et ils ne m’ont point écouté.

    Greek (digital file) numbering: Jeremiah 13:1–11. Giguet's 1872 French of a printed Greek text (D check only), in the Greek book's own order and verse numbering; a C check needs Ziegler's Göttingen Jeremiah or Rahlfs–Hanhart.

What changed, and why

Classification: a geographical and literary question, not a textual variant: the Hebrew, Greek and Latin agree that the place is Perath/Euphrates.

Three readings: (1) a literal journey to the Euphrates, perhaps over months; (2) a nearer place, Parah/Ein Prat, chosen for its name so that the act points to Babylon; (3) a vision or literary sign-act. No archaeology bears on it.

Linen (pishtim) was a priestly fabric (Leviticus 16:4): the image may be of Israel as God's priestly garment.

What the evidence shows

  • DisputedPerath in Jeremiah 13 means the Euphrates. The usual meaning of the word; a nearer place (Parah/Ein Prat) is also proposed.
  • DisputedJeremiah 13:1–7 describes a literal journey.
  • Strongly supportedParah (Joshua 18:23) lay near Anathoth. Usually identified with Khirbet el-Fara near Ein Prat.

Sources

    Related lessons

    • Jeremiah 13: The Linen Girdle →Jeremiah buys a linen loincloth, wears it, hides it in a cleft of the rock at Perath, and returns "after many days" to find it ruined, "profitable for nothing": so God will ruin Judah's pride, the people he made to cling to him "for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear" (13:1–11). "Every bottle shall be filled with wine": the people's shrug becomes a threat of drunkenness and destruction (vv. 12–14). "Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness"; "my soul shall weep in secret places" (vv. 15–17). "Say unto the king and to the queen (the queen mother), Humble yourselves" (vv. 18–19). The flock from the north; "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?" (vv. 20–23). Exposure and shame for Jerusalem's adulteries (vv. 24–27).