Original Word: מַחֲגֹרֶת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: machagoreth
Pronunciation: mah-khah-go'-reth
Phonetic Spelling: (makh-ag-o'-reth)
KJV: girding
NASB: donning
Word Origin: [from H2296 (חָגַר - girded)]

1. a girdle

girding

From chagar; a girdle -- girding.

see HEBREW chagar

Word Origin
from chagar
Definition
girding, cincture
NASB Translation
donning (1).

מַחֲגֹ֫רֶת noun feminine a girding, cincture, only construct; תַּחַת מְּתִיגִּיל מַחֲגֹרֶת שָׂ֑ק Isaiah 3:24 instead of a mantle a girding of sackcloth.

Machagoreth — the Girdle of Costly Adornment

Definition and Singular Occurrence

Machagoreth denotes the elegant waist-sash worn by well-to-do women of Jerusalem. It appears once, in Isaiah 3:24, where the prophet announces that “instead of a belt, a rope” will bind them. The sudden exchange of a finely woven accessory for coarse cord captures the humiliation that accompanies divine judgment.

Everyday and Ceremonial Use of the Girdle

In the ancient Near East a belt did far more than hold loose robes together. It carried money pouches, perfume vials, daggers, or seals, and it gathered flowing garments so the wearer could move quickly for labor or battle (Exodus 12:11). Ornamental girdles of linen, silk, or embroidered wool indicated social standing, and their artistry expressed feminine grace (Song of Solomon 7:2). For priests, the sash was part of holy vestments (Exodus 28:4), reminding worshipers that service before God required ordered dignity.

Prophetic Reversal in Isaiah 3

Isaiah 3:16-26 catalogs the finery of the “daughters of Zion”—anklets, veils, perfume bottles, signet rings, and finally the machagoreth. The Lord removes each item, exposing pride and replacing beauty with disgrace. The rope hints at captivity: prisoners were commonly bound by cords (2 Kings 25:7), so the image foreshadows exile. The judgment is not vindictive but corrective; by stripping away outward show, God calls His people back to inner righteousness.

Symbolism of the Belt in the Wider Canon

1. Readiness for obedience: in the Passover night Israel must eat with “your cloak tucked into your belt” (Exodus 12:11).
2. Righteous rule: Messiah is foretold with “Righteousness will be a belt around His hips” (Isaiah 11:5).
3. Spiritual warfare: believers are exhorted, “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth fastened around your waist” (Ephesians 6:14).
4. Priestly honor: the risen Christ appears “girded around the chest with a golden sash” (Revelation 1:13).

Machagoreth therefore participates in a larger biblical motif: what encircles the waist speaks of character, authority, and preparedness. When the sash is righteous and true, blessing follows; when it is flaunted in vanity, God removes it.

Christological Fulfillment

The humiliation threatened in Isaiah anticipates a greater exchange. On the cross, the sinless Son willingly accepted shame (“They divide My garments among them,” Psalm 22:18) so that His people might be clothed with salvation. Where Zion lost her machagoreth, the Church gains “fine linen, bright and clean” (Revelation 19:8). The contrast magnifies grace: the rope of judgment becomes the golden sash of redemption.

Ministry Applications

• Cultivate inner adornment: “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment” (1 Peter 3:3-4).
• Confront pride gently but firmly, reminding believers that God opposes ostentation.
• Encourage readiness for service—girding the mind (1 Peter 1:13) and waist (Ephesians 6:14) alike.
• Proclaim hope: the same God who replaces a belt with a rope can replace sackcloth with garments of praise (Isaiah 61:3).

Key References

Isaiah 3:24; Exodus 12:11; Isaiah 11:5; Ephesians 6:14; Revelation 1:13; Revelation 19:8.

מַחֲגֹ֣רֶת מחגרת ma·ḥă·ḡō·reṯ machaGoret maḥăḡōreṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts