Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, the belt, also referred to as a girdle, was an essential piece of clothing worn by both men and women. It served both practical and symbolic purposes, often indicating readiness, strength, and authority. The belt is mentioned numerous times throughout the Bible, highlighting its significance in various contexts.
Old Testament ReferencesIn the Old Testament, the belt was commonly used to secure garments, allowing for ease of movement and work. For instance, in
2 Kings 1:8, Elijah is described as wearing a "belt of leather around his waist," which was a distinctive feature of his prophetic attire. The belt was also a symbol of preparedness and strength, as seen in
Job 12:18, where God is said to "loosen the belt of kings," signifying the removal of their power and authority.
The priestly garments described in Exodus included a sash or belt, which was part of the sacred attire worn by Aaron and his sons.
Exodus 28:4 mentions the "embroidered sash" as part of the priestly garments, signifying their consecration and readiness to serve in the tabernacle.
New Testament ReferencesIn the New Testament, the belt continues to symbolize readiness and truth.
Ephesians 6:14 instructs believers to "stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist," as part of the full armor of God. This metaphorical use of the belt emphasizes the importance of truth in the life of a Christian, serving as a foundation for spiritual warfare.
John the Baptist is described in
Matthew 3:4 as wearing "a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist." This attire linked him to the prophet Elijah and symbolized his role as a forerunner to Christ, living a life of simplicity and dedication to God's mission.
Symbolism and SignificanceThe belt in biblical times was not merely a functional item but carried deep symbolic meaning. It represented readiness for action, whether in work, battle, or spiritual endeavors. The belt of truth in Ephesians underscores the necessity of integrity and honesty in the Christian life, serving as a defense against deception and falsehood.
In prophetic literature, the belt can also symbolize strength and authority.
Isaiah 11:5 speaks of the Messiah, stating, "Righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the sash around His waist." This imagery conveys the Messiah's divine authority and moral integrity.
Cultural and Historical ContextHistorically, belts were made from various materials, including leather, cloth, and even metal. They were often adorned with decorative elements, indicating the wearer's status or role. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the belt was a common accessory, used to carry weapons, tools, or money, further emphasizing its practical importance.
In summary, the belt in biblical literature serves as a powerful symbol of readiness, truth, and authority. Its presence in both the Old and New Testaments highlights its enduring significance in the cultural and spiritual life of God's people.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) That which engirdles a person or thing; a band or girdle; as, a lady's belt; a sword belt.
2. (n.) That which restrains or confines as a girdle.
3. (n.) Anything that resembles a belt, or that encircles or crosses like a belt; a strip or stripe; as, a belt of trees; a belt of sand.
4. (n.) Same as Band, n., 2. A very broad band is more properly termed a belt.
5. (n.) One of certain girdles or zones on the surface of the planets Jupiter and Saturn, supposed to be of the nature of clouds.
6. (n.) A narrow passage or strait; as, the Great Belt and the Lesser Belt, leading to the Baltic Sea.
7. (n.) A token or badge of knightly rank.
8. (n.) A band of leather, or other flexible substance, passing around two wheels, and communicating motion from one to the other.
9. (n.) A band or stripe, as of color, round any organ; or any circular ridge or series of ridges.
10. (v. t.) To encircle with, or as with, a belt; to encompass; to surround.
11. (v. t.) To shear, as the buttocks and tails of sheep.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
BELTSeeARMOR;DRESS.
Greek
2223. zone -- abelt... a
belt. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: zone Phonetic Spelling:
(dzo'-nay) Short Definition: a girdle,
belt, purse Definition: a girdle,
belt...2224. zonnumi -- to gird
... Cognate: 2224 () -- to gird, ie "to pull thebelt" to remove slack so a person could
move quickly.... From zone; to bind about (especially with abelt) -- gird....
328. anazonnumi -- to gird up
... 328 (from 303 , " to down" and 2224 , "gird, take out slack") -- properly, raise
up a tunic (= "tighten thebelt"), "girding oneself"; (figuratively) getting...
905. ballantion -- a purse
... bag. Word Origin from a prim. root bal- Definition a purse NASB Word Usage
moneybelt (3), money belts (1). bag, purse. Probably...
4024. perizonnumi -- to gird
... gird. From peri and zonnumi; to gird all around, ie (middle voice or passive) to
fasten on one'sbelt (literally or figuratively) -- gird (about, self)....
Strong's Hebrew
2290b. chagorah -- a girdle, loin covering,beltchagorah or chagorah. 2290a, 2290b. chagorah or chagorah. 2291 . a girdle,
loin covering,
belt. Transliteration: chagorah or chagorah Short Definition:
belt...2290a. chagor -- abelt, girdle
... abelt, girdle. Transliteration: chagor or chagor Short Definition:belt. Word Origin
from chagar Definition abelt, girdle NASB Word Usagebelt (2), belts (1)....
2290. chagowr -- abelt, girdle
... 2289, 2290. chagowr. 2290a . abelt, girdle. Transliteration: chagowr Phonetic
Spelling: (khag-ore') Short Definition: apron. apron, armor, girdle...
4206a. mezach -- a girdle
... a girdle. Transliteration: mezach Short Definition:belt. Word Origin of uncertain
derivation Definition a girdle NASB Word Usagebelt (1), restraint (1)....
232. ezor -- a waist cloth
... waistband. Word Origin from azar Definition a waist cloth NASB Word Usage
belt (3), belts (1), girdle (2), waistband (8). girdle....
4206b. meziach -- a girdle
... a girdle. Transliteration: meziach Short Definition:belt. Word Origin of uncertain
derivation Definition a girdle NASB Word Usagebelt (1). 4206a, 4206b....
73. abnet -- a girdle
... Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition a girdle NASB Word Usage sash (6),
sashes (3). girdle. Of uncertain derivation; abelt -- girdle. 72, 73....
4206. maziyach -- a girdle
... girdle, strength Or mezach {may-zakh'}; from zachach; abelt (as movable) -- girdle,
strength. see HEBREW zachach. 4205, 4206. maziyach. 4206a ....
247. azar -- to gird, encompass, equip
... bind compass about, gird up, with. A primitive root; tobelt -- bind (compass) about,
gird (up, with). 246, 247. azar. 248 . Strong's Numbers.
8151. shanas -- to gird up
... root Definition to gird up NASB Word Usage girded (1). gird up. A primitive root;
to compress (with abelt) -- gird up. 8150, 8151. shanas. 8152 ....
Library
'The Girdle of Truth'
... The girdle, which is the first specified, is not properly a weapon at all, but it
comes first because thebelt keeps all the other parts of the armour in place...
Voyage to China
... I had felt it a duty to comply with the earnest wish of my beloved and honoured
mother, and for her sake to procure a swimming-belt....
Man's Life his Monument.
... across the wild water that lay between him and the shore, the captain muttered,
"I can swim as far as that," and then unfastening the life-belt which he wore...
Jesus is Arrested.
... They encircled his waist with a species ofbelt studded with iron points, and to
this collar were appended two leathern straps, which were crossed over his...
One Way to Help Boys
... hall and put upon every boy's head a little military cap that costs in our country
something like twenty cents, and you put around his waist abelt that costs...
The Nailing of Jesus to the Cross.
... The executioners soon pulled off our Lord's cloak, thebelt to which the ropes were
fastened, and his ownbelt, when they found it was impossible to drag the...
"Won't You Save Me?"
... In the crowd was a returning California gold-miner. He fastened thebelt containing
his gold securely about his waist and was preparing to try to swim ashore....
Paul's Last Journey to Jerusalem
... Coming up to us, he took Paul'sbelt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and
said: "This is what the Holy Spirit says, 'In the same way the Jews will bind...
As Many as were Called by Grace, and Displayed the First Zeal...
... might those Christians be treated as lapsi who, having conscientiously given up
military service (this is meant by the soldier'sbelt), afterwards retracted...
The Knight of God
... cease from his tortures, and to leave it to God to teach him a more excellent way."
Thereupon he cast his leathern gloves, and his shirt, and hisbelt, and all...
Thesaurus
Belt (32 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) That which engirdles a person or thing;
a band or girdle; as, a lady's
belt; a sword
belt. 2. (n
...Waistcloth (9 Occurrences)
... He binds their waist with abelt.... Jeremiah 13:1 Thus says Yahweh to me, Go, and buy
yourself a linenbelt, and put it on your waist, and don't put it in water....
Waist (36 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) A girdle orbelt for the waist.... Matthew 3:4 Now John himself wore clothing
made of camel's hair, with a leatherbelt around his waist....
Waistband (15 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Jeremiah 13:1 Thus says Yahweh to me, Go, and buy yourself a linenbelt,
and put it on your waist, and don't put it in water. (See NAS)....
Phrat (17 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 13:4 Take thebelt that you have bought, which is on your waist, and arise,
go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock....
Syria (73 Occurrences)
... sir'-ia (Suria (Matthew 4:24 Luke 2:2)): 1. Name and Its Origin 2. Other Designations
3. Physical (1) The Maritime Plain (2) First MoUntainBelt (3) Second...
Euphra'tes (33 Occurrences)
... (See RSV). Jeremiah 13:4 Take thebelt that you have bought, which is on your waist,
and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock....
Girdle (44 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) That which girds, encircles, or encloses; a circumference; abelt; esp.,
abelt, sash, or article of dress encircling the body usually at the waist; a...
Totally (27 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 13:7 Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took thebelt from the
place where I had hid it; and behold, thebelt was marred, it was profitable...
Profitable (34 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 13:7 Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took thebelt from the
place where I had hid it; and behold, thebelt was marred, it was profitable...
Resources
What is the Bible Belt? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the belt of truth (Ephesians 6:14)? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14)? | GotQuestions.orgBelt: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
