A FAMOUS AND MISUNDERSTOOD PHRASE
In the days of the Bible, before a warrior went into battle he would put on his helmet, don his breastplate and take up his sword. But he would also do something odd known as “girding up the loins”. For example, the Lord twice commands Job “gird up your loins like a man” (Job 38:3, 40:7). In modern English we use this phrase to mean “be strong” but what did it originally refer to?
THE GENUINE MEANING OF GIRDING ONE’S LOINS
Literally, “girding up the loins” refers to the practice of gathering the excess fabric from one’s long robe and tucking it into one’s belt so that one’s knees were left exposed. This was done so that the soldier could run efficiently without tripping over his robe. In Hebrew the verb “to gird” is azar (אזר) does not just mean to fasten, but to encircle and make safe. It comes from the root asar (אסר) that means to lock up, as in a city that is encircled by a wall. The biblical soldier, therefore, girds himself not just to be able to run faster but to lock up his very being.
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