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In the KJVVerse 17,727 of 31,102
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Commentary on Isaiah 3 verses 16–26
16 ¶ Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:
17 Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts.
18 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,
19 The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,
20 The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,
21 The rings, and nose jewels,
22 The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,
23 The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.
24 And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.
25 Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.
The prophet's business was to show all sorts of people what they had contributed to the national guilt and what share they must expect in the national judgments that were coming. Here he reproves and warns the daughters of Zion, tells the ladies of their faults; and Moses, in the law, having denounced God's wrath against the tender and delicate woman (the prophets being a comment upon the law, Deu 28:56), he here tells them how they shall smart by the calamities that are coming upon them. Observe,
I. The sin charged upon the daughters of Zion, Isa 3:16. The prophet expressly vouches God's authority for what he said. lest it should be thought it was unbecoming in him to take notice of such things, and should be resented by the ladies: The Lord saith it. "Whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, let them know that God takes notice of, and is much displeased with, the folly and vanity of proud women, and his law takes cognizance even of their dress." Two things that here stand indicted for - haughtiness and wantonness, directly contrary to that modesty, shamefacedness, and sobriety, with which women ought to adorn themselves, Ti1 2:9. They discovered the disposition of their mind by their gait and gesture, and the lightness of their carriage. They are haughty, for they walk with stretched-forth necks, that they may seem tall, or, as thinking nobody good enough to speak to them or to receive a look or a smile from them. Their eyes are wanton, deceiving (so the word is); with their amorous glances they draw men into their snares. They affect a formal starched way of going, that people may look at them, and admire them, and know they have been at the dancing-school, and have learned the minuet-step. They go mincing, or nicely tripping, not willing to set so much as the sole of their foot to the ground, for tenderness and delicacy. They make a tinkling with their feet, having, as some think, chains, or little bells, upon their shoes, that made a noise: they go as if they were fettered (so some read it), like a horse tramelled, that he may learn to pace. Thus Agag came delicately, Sa1 15:32. Such a nice affected mien is not only a force upon that which is natural, and ridiculous before men, men of sense; but as it is an evidence of a vain mind, it is offensive to God. And two things aggravated it here: 1. That these were the daughters of Zion, the holy mountain, who should have behaved with the gravity that becomes women professing godliness. 2. That it should seem, by the connexion, they were the wives and daughters of the princes who spoiled and oppressed the poor (Isa 3:14, Isa 3:15) that they might maintain the pride and luxury of their families.
II. The punishments threatened for this sin; and they answer the sin as face answers to face in a glass, Isa 3:17, Isa 3:18. 1. They walked with stretched-forth necks, but God will smite with a scab the crown of their head, which shall lower their crests, and make them ashamed to show their heads, being obliged by it to cut off their hair. Note, Loathsome diseases are often sent as the just punishment of pride, and are sometimes the immediate effect of lewdness, the flesh and the body being consumed by it. 2. They cared not what they laid out in furnishing themselves with great variety of fine clothes; but God will reduce them to such poverty and distress that they shall not have clothes sufficient to cover their nakedness, but their uncomeliness shall be exposed through their rags. 3. They were extremely fond and proud of their ornaments; but God will strip them of those ornaments, when their houses shall be plundered, their treasures rifled, and they themselves led into captivity. The prophet here specifies many of the ornaments which they used as particularly as if he had been the keeper of their wardrobe or had attended them in their dressing-room. It is not at all material to enquire what sort of ornaments these respectively were and whether the translations rightly express the original words; perhaps 100 years hence the names of some of the ornaments that are now in use in our own land will be as little understood as some of those here mentioned now are. Fashions alter, and so do the names of them; and yet the mention of them is not in vain, but is designed to expose the folly of the daughters of Zion; for, (1.) Many of these things, we may suppose, were very odd and ridiculous, and, if they had not been in fashion, would have been hooted at. They were fitter to be toys for children to play with than ornaments for grown people to go to Mount Zion in. (2.) Those things that were decent and convenient, as the linen, the hoods, and the veils, needed not be provided in such abundance and variety. It is necessary to have apparel and proper that all should have it according to their rank; but what occasion was there for so many changeable suits of apparel (Isa 3:22), that they might not be seen two days together in the same suit? "They must have (as the homily against excess of apparel speaks) one gown for the day, another for the night - one long, another short - one for the working day, another for the holy-day - one of this colour, another of that colour - one of cloth, another of silk or damask - one dress afore dinner, another after - one of the Spanish fashion, another Turkey - and never content with sufficient." All this, as it is an evidence of pride and vain curiosity, so must needs spend a great deal in gratifying a base lust that ought to be laid out in works of piety and charity; and it is well if poor tenants be not racked, or poor creditors defrauded to support it. (3.) The enumeration of these things intimates what care they were in about them, how much their hearts were upon them, what an exact account they kept of them, how nice and critical they were about them, how insatiable their desire was of them, and how much of their comfort was bound up in them. A maid could forget none of these ornaments, though they were ever so many (Jer 2:32), but they would report them as readily, and talk of them with as much pleasure, as if they had been things of the greatest moment. The prophet did not speak of these things as in themselves sinful (they might lawfully be had and used), but as things which they were proud of and should therefore be deprived of.
III. They were very nice and curious about their clothes; but God would make those bodies of theirs, which were at such expense to beautify and make easy, a reproach and burden to them (Isa 3:24): Instead of sweet smell (those tablets, or boxes, of perfume, houses of the soul or breath, as they are called, Isa 3:20, margin) there shall be stink, garments grown filthy with being long worn, or from some loathsome disease or plasters for the cure of it. Instead of a rich embroidered girdle used to make the clothes sit tight, there shall be a rent, a rending of the clothes for grief, or old rotten clothes rent into rags. Instead of well-set hair, curiously plaited and powdered, there shall be baldness, the hair being plucked off or shaven, as was usual in times of great affliction (Isa 15:2; Jer 16:6), or in great servitude, Eze 29:18. Instead of a stomacher, or a scarf or sash, there shall be a girding of sackcloth, in token of deep humiliation; and burning instead of beauty. Those that had a good complexion, and were proud of it, when they are carried into captivity shall be tanned and sun-burnt; and it is observed that the best faces are soonest injured by the weather. From all this let us learn, 1. Not to be nice and curious about our apparel, not to affect that which is gay and costly, nor to be proud of it. 2. Not to be secure in the enjoyment of any of the delights of sense, because we know not how soon we may be stripped of them, nor what straits we may be reduced to.
IV. They designed by these ornaments to charm the gentlemen, and win their affections (Pro 7:16, Pro 7:17), but there shall be none to be charmed by them (Isa 3:25): Thy men shall fall by the sword, and the mighty in the war, The fire shall consume them, and then the maidens shall not be given in marriage; as it is, Psa 78:63. When the sword comes with commission the mighty commonly fall first by it, because they are most forward to venture. And, when Zion's guards are cut off, no marvel that Zion's gates lament and mourn (Isa 3:26), the enemies having made themselves masters of them; and the city itself, being desolate, being emptied or swept, shall sit upon the ground like a disconsolate widow. If sin be harboured within the walls, lamentation and mourning are near the gates.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 16–26. Public domain.
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John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 89
But shouldest thou enter into a church, thou geest forth, without getting anything but countless leers, and revilings, and curses, not from the beholders only, but also from the prophet. For straightway Isaiah, that hath the fullest voice of all, as soon as he hath seen thee, will cry out, "These things saith the Lord against the princely daughters of Sion; because they walked with a lofty neck, and with winkings of the eyes, and in their walking, trailing their garments, and mincing at the same time with their feet; the Lord shall take off their bravery, and instead of a sweet smell there shall be dust, and instead of a stomacher, thou shalt gird thyself with a cord." These things for thy gorgeous array. For not to them only are these words addressed, but to every woman that doeth like them.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Isaiah
(Verse 18-21.) And necklaces, and torcs, and pendants, and bracelets, and headbands, and diadems, and girdles, and brooches, and perfume vials, and earrings, and rings and gems hanging from the forehead. It describes the necklaces of women, and through these the insignia of cities: or, according to the anagoge, the various ornaments of virtues. Women have tiny bulla-shaped pendants that resemble the moon, which we transfer to the ornaments of the Church, which is illuminated by the sun of justice. Also, the necklaces that hang down to the chest signify understanding and the principal (ruling) faculty of the mind in the heart. And the necklaces indicate all ornaments in one word: and the good works of the bracelets, which Rebecca received in her marriage (Gen. XXIV): and the miters, the ornaments of the head, to distinguish judgment of each person: and the foot-straps, with which our step is adorned, so that we may hear: Your foot shall not stumble (Ps. XC); and: He shall keep my feet from sliding (Ps. LV); and the little walls, which are woven of gold and silver threads, signify sense and the words of the Scriptures: and the sweet-smelling ointments, so that we may be a good odor of Christ (II Cor. II, 15); and the earrings, so that we may not hear the judgment of blood, but the words of the Lord saying: He who has ears to hear, let him hear (Luke VIII, 18); and the rings, with which we are signed for the Lord's army, which God the Father has signed. Where it is said to the prince of Tyre, 'You are the seal of likeness' (Ezek. 28:12). Also, the prodigal son received a ring, a robe, and jewels hanging on his forehead, which decorate our faces (Luke 15). And concerning the ornament of his head, we also read in the psalm: 'Like precious oil upon the head, which runs down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron' (Ps. 133:1). Although the Septuagint, Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion interpret all of these things in different ways, we have woven together what we could from the Hebrew and their translations, and we do not wish to dwell any longer on each one, lest the explanation be trivial and cause annoyance to the discerning reader.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 3:19 presents a precise catalog of luxurious adornments worn by the "daughters of Zion" in ancient Jerusalem, serving as a poignant illustration of their excessive pride, vanity, and self-absorption. This verse is an integral part of a larger prophetic oracle detailing God's impending judgment upon the haughty women of Judah, whose opulent outward display of wealth and status stood in stark contrast to their profound inner moral and spiritual decay. The meticulous listing of these specific items—chains, bracelets, and mufflers—underscores the depth of their material preoccupation, which God, in His righteous judgment, would strip away as a sign of their humiliation and the inevitable consequence of their rebellion against His divine standards.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Isaiah 3:19 is situated within a powerful prophetic lament and declaration of judgment against Judah and Jerusalem, specifically targeting the "daughters of Zion" in Isaiah 3:16-24. This particular section immediately follows a broader condemnation of the nation's corrupt male leadership and pervasive societal breakdown, detailed in Isaiah 3:1-15. The prophet Isaiah masterfully transitions from the male figures of authority to the women, thereby underscoring that the moral and spiritual decay had permeated all strata of society, from top to bottom. The comprehensive catalog of luxurious items in Isaiah 3:18-23 serves to emphasize the profound extent of their vanity and self-indulgence. This detailed description then sets up a stark and humiliating contrast with the consequences of divine judgment, which include baldness, sackcloth, and a complete loss of beauty and social status, as vividly described in Isaiah 3:24. The passage thus moves from a description of their pride to the inevitable divine response.
Historical & Cultural Context: The prophecies of Isaiah were delivered during the 8th century BCE, a period for Judah characterized by fluctuating political fortunes but also significant stretches of prosperity, particularly under the reigns of kings Uzziah and Jotham. This prosperity, however, was often accompanied by a marked moral decline, rampant social injustice, and a dangerous drift towards idolatry, mirroring the patterns seen in other ancient Near Eastern societies. Jerusalem, as the capital city and religious center, was a hub of wealth, trade, and influence. Its elite women, especially those connected to the royal court or wealthy merchant families, would have had access to a wide array of luxurious goods, many of which were imported from neighboring empires like Egypt, Assyria, or Phoenicia. Personal adornments like those meticulously listed in Isaiah 3:19 were far more than mere fashion statements; they were potent symbols of social status, family wealth, personal beauty, and even religious affiliation in ancient Near Eastern cultures. The prophet's pointed focus on these specific items highlights a cultural milieu where outward appearance and material possessions had become paramount, overshadowing genuine spiritual devotion, ethical conduct, and righteous living required by the Mosaic covenant.
Key Themes: This verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes within Isaiah's prophetic message and the broader biblical narrative. Foremost is the theme of Pride and Haughtiness, as the elaborate and ostentatious adornments are presented not merely as fashion choices but as tangible manifestations of an arrogant and self-exalting spirit that fundamentally despises God's ways and His covenant demands, explicitly stated in Isaiah 3:16. This spiritual posture directly precipitates the theme of Divine Judgment and Consequence, where God, in His unyielding justice, promises to strip away the very symbols of their pride and glory, transforming their outward splendor into profound shame. This impending judgment is not arbitrary but is a righteous and proportionate response to their spiritual rebellion and the pervasive Societal Decay that had gripped the nation. The passage powerfully illustrates how superficiality, materialism, and a preoccupation with external appearances had corrupted the moral fabric of Judah, diverting attention and resources from true justice, compassion, and humility. Implicitly, the passage contrasts this fallen state with God's consistent call for true righteousness, inner transformation, and a return to covenant faithfulness, a recurring and foundational theme throughout the entire book of Isaiah.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah employs several potent literary devices in this verse to underscore his prophetic message. The most prominent is Enumeration or Catalog, where the prophet meticulously lists a series of specific items of adornment. This detailed inventory serves to emphasize the sheer volume, variety, and extravagance of the women's luxurious possessions, thereby highlighting the depth of their material preoccupation and vanity. Each item listed functions as Symbolism, representing not just wealth and social status, but more profoundly, the haughty spirit, self-absorption, and spiritual emptiness that characterized the "daughters of Zion." The collection of these items also works as a form of Synecdoche or Metonymy, where these specific parts (the adornments) stand for the whole (the women's pride, their societal influence, and the broader moral decay it signifies). The inherent beauty and opulence of these items are presented in stark contrast to the spiritual ugliness and moral corruption of the wearers, setting the stage for the profound Irony of their eventual stripping away, turning symbols of pride into instruments of humiliation and shame.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 3:19, in its broader prophetic context, powerfully illustrates God's profound concern for the heart condition over mere external display. The Lord is not condemning beauty or personal adornment in themselves; rather, He is denouncing the spirit of pride, vanity, and self-sufficiency that these luxurious items had come to embody for the women of Zion. Their excessive focus on outward appearance and material possessions revealed a deep spiritual emptiness and a blatant disregard for the true values of humility, justice, and wholehearted devotion to God. This passage serves as a timeless and convicting reminder that true worth and lasting beauty are not found in fleeting material possessions or transient fashion trends, but in a transformed inner character that genuinely reflects God's righteousness and grace. It powerfully underscores the consistent biblical principle that God opposes the proud but extends abundant grace to the humble, ultimately calling His people to earnestly seek spiritual riches and eternal values over worldly acclaim and superficial glory.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 3:19 offers a profound and challenging call to contemporary believers, urging us to engage in a sincere self-examination of the priorities of our hearts in a world saturated with consumerism, the pervasive influence of social media, and the relentless pressure to conform to ever-shifting external standards of beauty, success, and status. The passage compels us to consider whether our primary focus is on cultivating an outward image designed for human approval or on diligently nurturing an inner character that authentically reflects the transformative work of Christ. It prompts us to reflect deeply on the insidious dangers of vanity and pride, which can subtly and deceptively creep into our lives through our possessions, our appearance, our perceived accomplishments, or our social status. True spiritual health, as revealed in this text, is marked by genuine humility, radical generosity, and a heart singularly devoted to God, rather than by the fleeting allure of worldly adornments or the accumulation of material wealth. We are encouraged to seek lasting beauty in the "gentle and quiet spirit" that is precious in God's sight, prioritizing spiritual riches and eternal values over transient material accumulation, and to remember that our ultimate value and identity are found solely in our relationship as children of God, not in what we own or how we appear to others.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does God seem to care so much about women's clothing and jewelry in this passage?
Answer: God's concern in Isaiah 3:19 is not primarily about the specific items of clothing or jewelry themselves, but rather the heart attitude and the societal context they represented. These luxurious adornments were symptomatic of a much deeper spiritual malady: excessive pride, rampant vanity, profound self-absorption, and a blatant disregard for God's covenant ways and the suffering of the poor and marginalized. The women's haughty demeanor, explicitly described in Isaiah 3:16, and their elaborate display of wealth stood in stark contrast to the widespread social injustice and moral decay prevalent in Judah. God was condemning the spirit of idolatry that placed material possessions and outward appearance above true worship, righteous living, and compassion for others. The stripping away of these items, as prophesied, was a symbolic act of judgment, demonstrating that God would humble the proud and expose their spiritual nakedness. It serves as a powerful reminder that God looks at the heart, not merely the outward appearance, as affirmed in 1 Samuel 16:7.
Is it wrong for Christians to wear jewelry or nice clothes today?
Answer: No, the Bible does not inherently condemn wearing jewelry or dressing nicely. The core issue, as highlighted in Isaiah 3:19 and echoed in the New Testament, is the attitude and priority behind such adornment. Passages like 1 Peter 3:3-4 and 1 Timothy 2:9-10 encourage modesty, discretion, and, crucially, an emphasis on inner beauty—specifically, a gentle and quiet spirit—rather than ostentatious outward show. The key is to avoid vanity, extravagance that neglects the needs of others, and allowing material possessions to become idols or sources of pride and self-worth. Christians are called to live with humility, wisdom, and a primary focus on eternal values, ensuring that their outward presentation reflects the inner transformation wrought by Christ, rather than seeking to impress others or glorify themselves.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 3:19, with its stark portrayal of human pride, self-glorification, and the inevitable judgment it incurs, finds its ultimate fulfillment and profound resolution in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The very vanity and self-exaltation condemned in the "daughters of Zion" represent the pervasive sin of humanity—a fundamental rebellion against God's rightful authority and a preference for self-exaltation. Jesus, by glorious contrast, perfectly embodies the humility that Isaiah's prophecy implicitly calls for. While the women of Zion adorned themselves with earthly chains and bracelets, Christ "emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:7). He did not come to be served or to display worldly splendor and material wealth, but rather to serve and to sacrificially give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). The judgment foretold in Isaiah, where finery is stripped away, powerfully points to the ultimate stripping away of human self-sufficiency and pride at the cross. There, Christ, in unparalleled humility, bore the full weight of judgment for all human sin, including the sins of vanity, materialism, and self-glory. Through His perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection, believers are clothed not in perishable adornments, but in the imperishable righteousness of Christ Himself, being "baptized into Christ... clothed with Christ" (Galatians 3:27). This divine clothing bestows upon them an "unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious" (1 Peter 3:4). Moreover, Jesus calls His followers to lay up treasures in heaven, "where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal," rather than focusing on fleeting earthly displays (Matthew 6:19-21). Thus, Christ offers the true, eternal adornment: a transformed heart, a humble spirit, and the promise of everlasting life, standing in stark and glorious contrast to the fleeting pride condemned in Isaiah.