Topical Bible: Gird

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Definition and Usage:
The term "gird" in the Bible generally refers to the act of fastening or securing garments with a belt or sash. It is often used metaphorically to describe preparation, readiness, or strengthening for a task or battle. The act of girding oneself is symbolic of being prepared and equipped for service or action.

Old Testament References:
In the Old Testament, "gird" is frequently used in the context of preparing for battle or service. For example, in 1 Kings 18:46 , it is written, "The hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel." Here, Elijah girds himself to prepare for swift action, demonstrating readiness and divine empowerment.

In Job 38:3 , God challenges Job, saying, "Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me." The phrase "brace yourself" is translated from the Hebrew word for "gird," indicating a call to prepare oneself for a serious encounter with God.

New Testament References:
In the New Testament, the concept of girding is often associated with spiritual readiness and service. In Ephesians 6:14 , Paul instructs believers to "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed." The "belt of truth" is part of the full armor of God, symbolizing the importance of truth in the believer's life and spiritual warfare.

In Luke 12:35 , Jesus advises His followers, "Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning." The phrase "be dressed for service" is a call to be girded, emphasizing the need for constant readiness and vigilance in the Christian life.

Symbolic Meaning:
Girding oneself is symbolic of preparation and readiness. It signifies a state of alertness and the willingness to act. In a spiritual sense, it represents the believer's readiness to serve God, engage in spiritual warfare, and live a life of truth and righteousness.

Cultural Context:
In ancient Near Eastern culture, girding one's loins was a practical action. People wore long robes, and to move quickly or perform laborious tasks, they would gather up their robes and secure them with a belt. This cultural practice is reflected in the biblical usage of the term, where girding is associated with readiness and action.

Theological Implications:
The act of girding in the Bible underscores the importance of preparation and readiness in the life of a believer. It serves as a reminder of the need to be spiritually equipped and vigilant, always prepared to respond to God's call and to face the challenges of life with faith and courage.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) A stroke with a rod or switch; a severe spasm; a twinge; a pang.

2. (n.) A cut; a sarcastic remark; a gibe; a sneer.

3. (v.) To strike; to smite.

4. (v.) To sneer at; to mock; to gibe.

5. (v. i.) To gibe; to sneer; to break a scornful jest; to utter severe sarcasms.

6. (v. t.) To encircle or bind with any flexible band.

7. (v. t.) To make fast, as clothing, by binding with a cord, girdle, bandage, etc.

8. (v. t.) To surround; to encircle, or encompass.

9. (v. t.) To clothe; to swathe; to invest.

10. (v. t.) To prepare; to make ready; to equip; as, to gird one's self for a contest.

Greek

4024. perizonnumi -- to gird
... to gird. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: perizonnumi Phonetic Spelling:
(per-id-zone'-noo-mee) Short Definition: I gird round Definition: I gird round; ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4024.htm - 7k

328. anazonnumi -- to gird up
... to gird up. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: anazonnumi Phonetic Spelling:
(an-ad-zone'-noo-mee) Short Definition: I gird up, brace up Definition: I gird up ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/328.htm - 7k

1241. diazonnumi -- to gird around
... to gird around. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: diazonnumi Phonetic Spelling:
(dee-az-own'-noo-mee) Short Definition: I gird, tie around Definition: I gird ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1241.htm - 6k

2224. zonnumi -- to gird
... to gird. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: zonnumi Phonetic Spelling:
(dzone'-noo-mi) Short Definition: I gird Definition: I gird, put on the girdle ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2224.htm - 6k

5269. hupozonnumi -- to undergird
... to undergird. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: hupozonnumi Phonetic Spelling:
(hoop-od-zone'-noo-mee) Short Definition: I under-gird Definition: I under ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5269.htm - 6k

1463. egkomboomai -- to put on oneself (as a garment)
... Word Origin from en and komboomai (to gird oneself) Definition to put on oneself
(as a garment) NASB Word Usage clothe (1). be clothed with. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1463.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

2296. chagar -- to gird, gird on, gird oneself
... 2295, 2296. chagar. 2297 . to gird, gird on, gird oneself. Transliteration:
chagar Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-gar') Short Definition: girded. Word Origin a prim ...
/hebrew/2296.htm - 6k

640. aphad -- to gird on the ephod
... 639, 640. aphad. 641 . to gird on the ephod. Transliteration: aphad Phonetic
Spelling: (aw-fad') Short Definition: gird. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/640.htm - 6k

247. azar -- to gird, encompass, equip
... 246, 247. azar. 248 . to gird, encompass, equip. Transliteration: azar Phonetic
Spelling: (aw-zar') Short Definition: gird. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/247.htm - 6k

8151. shanas -- to gird up
... to gird up. Transliteration: shanas Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-nas') Short Definition:
girded. ... root Definition to gird up NASB Word Usage girded (1). gird up. ...
/hebrew/8151.htm - 5k

3736. karbel -- to be mantled
... Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition to be mantled NASB Word Usage clothed
(1). to gird or clothe. From the same as kebel; to gird or clothe: ...
/hebrew/3736.htm - 6k

631. asar -- to tie, bind, imprison
... bind, fast, gird, harness, hold, keep, make ready, order,. A primitive
root; to yoke or hitch; by analogy, to fasten in any sense ...
/hebrew/631.htm - 6k

2280. chabash -- to bind, bind on, bind up
... bind up, gird about, govern, healer, put, saddle, wrap about. A primitive
root; to wrap firmly (especially a turban, compress, or ...
/hebrew/2280.htm - 6k

7194. qashar -- to bind, league together, conspire
... A primitive root: to tie, physically (gird, confine, compact) or mentally (in love,
league) -- bind (up), (make a) conspire(-acy, -ator), join together, knit ...
/hebrew/7194.htm - 6k

6775. tsamad -- to bind, join
... fasten, frame, join self. A primitive root; to link, ie Gird; figuratively, to serve,
(mentally) contrive -- fasten, frame, join (self). 6774, 6775. ...
/hebrew/6775.htm - 6k

2290. chagowr -- a belt, girdle
... Or chagor {khag-ore'}; and (feminine) chagowrah {khag-o-raw'}; or chagorah
{khag-o-raw'}; from chagar; a belt (for the waist) -- apron, armour, gird(-le). ...
/hebrew/2290.htm - 5k

Library

The Equipment of the Servants
... 'Gird up the loins of your mind,' says the Apostle, echoing the Master's word here. ...
Why this, if you do not gird your loins your lamp will go out. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/the equipment of the servants.htm

A Sermon Made by M. Hugh Latimer, at the Time of the Insurrection ...
... saying, "Be strong, having your reins, or your loins girded about." Some men of
war use to have about their loins an apron or girdle of mail, gird fast for the ...
/.../latimer/sermons on the card and other discourses/a sermon made by m.htm

Conclusion.
... thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be
old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and ...
/.../dods/the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol ii/xxvi conclusion.htm

Ephesians vi. 14
... is used in war, that it may bind and hold together this foundation, as it were,
in our frame; for this reason too it is that when we run we gird ourselves. ...
/.../homily xxiii ephesians vi 14.htm

Third Sunday after Trinity Humility, Trust, Watchfulness ...
... Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth
the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.6 Humble yourselves therefore ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/third sunday after trinity humility.htm

The Slave's Girdle
... The word rendered in the Authorised Version 'be clothed,' or better in the Revised
Version, 'gird yourselves with,' really implies a little more than either of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the slaves girdle.htm

The King in his Beauty
... 'Thou art fairer than the children of men; grace is poured into Thy lips: therefore
God hath blessed Thee forever.3. Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O mighty one ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the king in his beauty.htm

The Scriptures
... And the language of Ps.45:4, Gird Thee with Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O Thou most
Mighty, according to Thy worship and renown,' is closely paraphrased in ...
/.../the hymns of methodism in their literary relations/chapter i the scriptures.htm

The Armour of God
... heart. First, the Christians are to gird their loins"to cover the lower
part of their body, which is the most defenceless. That ...
/.../kingsley/discipline and other sermons/sermon xi the armour of god.htm

Youth and Age, and the Command for Both
... thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be
old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture st john chaps xv to xxi/youth and age and the.htm

Thesaurus

Gird (44 Occurrences)
... 10. (vt) To prepare; to make ready; to equip; as, to gird one's self for
a contest. Multi-Version Concordance Gird (44 Occurrences). ...
/g/gird.htm - 20k

Sackcloth (47 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 3:31 David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, Tear
your clothes, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. ...
/s/sackcloth.htm - 23k

Upper (99 Occurrences)
... them. (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). Acts 12:8 And the angel said to
him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. ...
/u/upper.htm - 39k

Girded (48 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (pp) of Gird. ... (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). 1 Samuel
25:13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. ...
/g/girded.htm - 21k

Loins (72 Occurrences)
... On the loins the sword is worn (2 Samuel 20:8). It is a sign of mourning to gird
the loins with sackcloth (1 Kings 20:32 Isaiah 32:11 Jeremiah 48:37 Amos 8:10 ...
/l/loins.htm - 33k

Sweat (3 Occurrences)
... shall have linen tires upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their
loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything that causeth sweat ...
/s/sweat.htm - 14k

Thyself (352 Occurrences)
... Luke 17:8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and
gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou ...
/t/thyself.htm - 36k

Bind (68 Occurrences)
... Acts 12:8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And
so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. ...
/b/bind.htm - 32k

Wherewith (182 Occurrences)
... Luke 17:8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and
gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou ...
/w/wherewith.htm - 38k

Lament (44 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 3:31 David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, Tear
your clothes, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. ...
/l/lament.htm - 20k

Resources

How can I overcome the fear of death? How can I stop being scared of dying? | GotQuestions.org

What is the belt of truth (Ephesians 6:14)? | GotQuestions.org

What are some idioms in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Gird: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Gird (44 Occurrences)

Luke 12:37
Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
(KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Luke 17:8
And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
(KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

John 21:7
This made the disciple whom Jesus loved say to Peter, "It is the Master." Simon Peter therefore, when he heard the words, "It is the Master," drew on his fisherman's shirt--for he had not been wearing it--put on his girdle, and sprang into the water.
(Root in WEY DBY YLT)

John 21:18
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
(Root in KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Acts 12:8
And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS)

1 Peter 1:13
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
(KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

1 Peter 5:5
Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
(WEB WEY ASV)

Exodus 28:8
And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
(Root in KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Exodus 29:9
And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Exodus 39:5
And the curious girdle of his ephod, that was upon it, was of the same, according to the work thereof; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the LORD commanded Moses.
(Root in KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Leviticus 8:7
And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith.
(Root in KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Deuteronomy 1:41
Then you answered and said to me, "We have sinned against Yahweh, we will go up and fight, according to all that Yahweh our God commanded us." You girded on every man his weapons of war, and were forward to go up into the hill country.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Judges 3:16
Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his clothing on his right thigh.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

1 Samuel 2:4
"The bows of the mighty men are broken. Those who stumbled are girded with strength.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

1 Samuel 25:13
And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

2 Samuel 3:31
David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, Tear your clothes, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. King David followed the bier.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

2 Samuel 22:40
For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me.
(Root in KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

2 Samuel 22:46
Sons of a stranger fade away, And gird themselves by their close places.
(YLT)

1 Kings 20:32
So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.
(Root in KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

2 Kings 9:1
Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, "Gird up your waist, and take this vial of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Job 30:18
By the abundance of power, Is my clothing changed, As the mouth of my coat it doth gird me.
(YLT)

Job 38:3
Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Job 40:7
Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Psalms 18:39
For you have girded me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Psalms 30:11
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
(Root in KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Psalms 45:3
Gird your sword on your thigh, mighty one: your splendor and your majesty.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 65:12
The pastures of the wilderness do drop; and the hills are girded with joy.
(Root in JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV)

Psalms 76:10
Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: The residue of wrath shalt thou gird upon thee.
(ASV DBY JPS YLT NAS RSV)

Isaiah 15:3
In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Isaiah 32:11
Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Isaiah 45:5
I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
(Root in KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Isaiah 49:18
Lift up your eyes all around, and see: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live," says Yahweh, "you shall surely clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament, and gird yourself with them, like a bride.
(WEB JPS ASV)

Isaiah 50:11
Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who gird yourselves about with torches; walk you in the flame of your fire, and among the brands that you have kindled. You shall have this of my hand; you shall lie down in sorrow.
(WEB JPS ASV YLT)

Jeremiah 1:17
You therefore gird up your waist, and arise, and speak to them all that I command you: don't be dismayed at them, lest I dismay you before them.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Jeremiah 4:8
For this gird yourself with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of Yahweh hasn't turned back from us.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Jeremiah 6:26
Daughter of my people, gird yourself with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes! Mourn, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come on us.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Jeremiah 46:4
Gird the horses, and go up, ye horsemen, And station yourselves with helmets, Polish the javelins, put on the coats of mail.
(YLT)

Jeremiah 49:3
Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled: cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth; lament, and run to and fro by the hedges; for their king shall go into captivity, and his priests and his princes together.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Ezekiel 7:18
They shall also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be on all faces, and baldness on all their heads.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Ezekiel 16:10
I clothed you also with embroidered work, and shod you with sealskin, and I girded you about with fine linen, and covered you with silk.
(Root in WEB KJV ASV WBS YLT)

Ezekiel 27:31
and they shall make themselves bald for you, and gird them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for you in bitterness of soul with bitter mourning.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Ezekiel 44:18
They shall have linen tires on their heads, and shall have linen breeches on their waists; they shall not gird themselves with anything that causes sweat.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Joel 1:13
Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Nahum 2:1
He who dashes in pieces has come up against you. Keep the fortress! Watch the way! Strengthen your waist! Fortify your power mightily!
(See RSV)

Subtopics

Gird

Related Terms

Gird (44 Occurrences)

Vest (11 Occurrences)

Girdles (13 Occurrences)

Tunic (24 Occurrences)

Attire (11 Occurrences)

Waist (36 Occurrences)

Girdle (44 Occurrences)

Loins (72 Occurrences)

Belt (32 Occurrences)