Isaiah 3:21

Translation
King James Version
The rings, and nose jewels,
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KJV (with Strong's)
The rings H2885, and nose H639 jewels H5141,
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Complete Jewish Bible
rings and nose-jewels;
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Berean Standard Bible
their signet rings and nose rings;
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American Standard Version
the rings, and the nose-jewels;
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World English Bible Messianic
the signet rings, the nose rings,
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Geneva Bible (1599)
The rings and the mufflers,
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Young's Literal Translation
Of the seals, and of the nose-rings,
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See also
Genesis 24:471 Peter 3:31 Peter 3:4James 2:2Genesis 41:42Esther 8:12Song of Solomon 5:14
In the KJVVerse 17,729 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Isaiah 3:21, "The rings, and nose jewels," is a succinct yet powerful declaration embedded within a broader prophetic oracle against the "daughters of Zion" in Jerusalem. This verse specifically enumerates items of luxurious personal adornment that God, through the prophet Isaiah, promises to strip away as a direct consequence of their pride, vanity, and spiritual apostasy. It serves as a stark symbol of the superficiality and materialism that had supplanted genuine devotion and moral integrity, highlighting how outward display would be exposed and humiliated by divine judgment.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is an integral part of a scathing prophetic indictment found in Isaiah 3:16-24, where the prophet Isaiah delivers God's judgment specifically upon the elite women of Jerusalem, referred to as the "daughters of Zion." The preceding verses (Isaiah 3:1-15) detail the general societal collapse, moral decay, and leadership failures in Judah. Within this larger oracle of judgment, verses 16-24 provide a detailed, almost satirical, catalog of the extravagant clothing and jewelry worn by these women. Verse 21, by listing "the rings, and nose jewels," contributes to this comprehensive inventory, emphasizing the extent of their vanity and the superficiality that permeated their culture. The impending divine action, implied throughout the passage, is the stripping away of these very symbols of their pride, signifying a profound reversal of fortune and public humiliation, designed to expose the emptiness of their self-worth derived from external display.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Ancient Judah, particularly its capital Jerusalem, was a vibrant hub of trade and cultural exchange within the ancient Near East. This exposure often led to the adoption of foreign customs and the acquisition of luxurious goods. Personal adornment, especially for women, held significant cultural importance, serving as a powerful indicator of social status, wealth, and beauty. Rings (for fingers or ears) and nose jewels were common forms of personal decoration, frequently crafted from precious metals like gold and silver, often embellished with intricate designs or inlaid with stones. The prophetic critique in Isaiah 3 is not a blanket condemnation of adornment itself, as jewelry was also used in positive contexts (e.g., as gifts or symbols of blessing). Instead, it targets the excessive nature of their adornment, the pride it fostered, and how it became a primary focus, overshadowing spiritual devotion, social justice, and moral rectitude. The "daughters of Zion" likely represented the aristocratic women of Jerusalem, whose lavish lifestyles and haughty demeanor were symptomatic of the nation's broader spiritual apostasy and social injustice, themes powerfully articulated in earlier chapters like Isaiah 1 and Isaiah 5.
  • Key Themes: Isaiah 3:21 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Isaiah and the broader prophetic corpus. Primarily, it underscores the theme of Vanity and Excessive Adornment, highlighting a culture deeply engrossed in superficial beauty and status symbols. The detailed list of their finery critiques an obsession with outward appearance over inward righteousness and humility, a misplaced priority that God finds abhorrent. This directly leads to the theme of Materialism vs. Spirituality, where the focus on lavish personal items reveals a profound spiritual emptiness. The women's reliance on material possessions and social standing overshadowed a genuine relationship with God, serving as a potent warning against allowing worldly desires to dominate one's life, a principle echoed in the New Testament's call to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth (Matthew 6:19-21). Ultimately, this verse is a crucial component of the overarching theme of Divine Judgment and Humiliation. God promises to strip away these very symbols of pride, bringing public shame and signifying the end of their perceived glory. This act demonstrates that true security and worth are found only in God, not in fleeting earthly possessions or human-made status.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Rings (Hebrew, ṭabbaʻath', H2885): From the root ṭābaʻ (to sink), this term properly refers to a seal (as sunk into wax), hence a signet ring used for sealing documents, which often symbolized authority, ownership, or identity. More generally, it refers to a ring of any kind, including finger rings or possibly earrings. In the context of Isaiah 3:21, these rings represent items of personal adornment and status, indicative of wealth and social standing among the elite women of Jerusalem. Their inclusion highlights the pervasive nature of their luxurious display.
  • Nose (Hebrew, ʼaph', H639): From the root ʼānaph (to breathe rapidly, to be angry), this word primarily denotes the nose or nostril. It can also refer to the face or countenance, and metaphorically, to anger (from the rapid breathing associated with passion). In the phrase "nose jewels," its function is to specify the location of the adornment, highlighting a particular, and perhaps more exotic or ostentatious, form of jewelry prevalent in the ancient Near East.
  • Jewels (Hebrew, nezem', H5141): From an unused root of uncertain meaning, this term specifically refers to a nose-ring or an earring. In the ancient Near East, both were common forms of personal adornment, often crafted from precious metals like gold or silver and sometimes set with gems. The combination with ʼaph (nose) in the KJV's "nose jewels" clarifies that these were indeed rings worn in the nose, a prominent and often expensive form of display that contributed significantly to the overall image of opulence and self-adornment.

Verse Breakdown

  • "The rings,": This initial clause refers to the ṭabbaʻath, which were common articles of jewelry, likely encompassing finger rings, signet rings, or possibly earrings. These items were potent symbols of wealth, status, and personal adornment in ancient society. Their specific mention in this list suggests an excessive, perhaps even prideful, reliance on such external displays, indicating a societal preoccupation where outward appearance had become paramount. The prophet highlights these as key symbols of the "daughters of Zion's" vanity and their deeply misplaced priorities, signaling that these very items would become targets of divine judgment.
  • "and nose jewels,": This phrase, combining ʼaph (nose) and nezem (jewel/ring), specifically points to nose rings. While less common in many modern Western cultures, nose rings were a significant and often elaborate form of adornment in the ancient Near East, frequently crafted from gold or silver and sometimes quite ornate. Their inclusion here further underscores the extravagance and ostentation of the women's attire, emphasizing their desire to draw attention to themselves through luxurious and perhaps even exotic forms of self-decoration. This particular detail contributes to the overall sense of societal pride, superficiality, and self-indulgence that God was about to judge, making the impending stripping away of these items a particularly humiliating consequence.

Literary Devices

Isaiah 3:21 effectively employs several literary devices to convey its powerful message of judgment. The most evident is Listing/Enumeration, as this verse is part of an extensive catalog of specific items of clothing and jewelry (found in Isaiah 3:18-23). This detailed enumeration serves to emphasize the sheer volume, variety, and extravagance of the women's adornments, underscoring the depth of their materialism and vanity. Each item, including "the rings, and nose jewels," functions as powerful Symbolism. These objects are not merely fashion accessories but become potent symbols of pride, social status, self-sufficiency, and a misplaced focus on outward appearance rather than inward character or devotion to God. The impending removal of these items, implied by the broader context of divine judgment, represents a dramatic Reversal of Fortune and public Humiliation, where the very things they prided themselves on would become instruments of their shame and a testament to their spiritual nakedness.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Isaiah 3:21, though seemingly focused on specific items of jewelry, carries profound theological and thematic weight, serving as a powerful reminder that God looks beyond outward appearance to the condition of the heart. The prophet's condemnation is not against adornment in itself, but against the pride, vanity, and misplaced priorities it represented in Judah. The "daughters of Zion" had allowed material possessions and social status, symbolized by their elaborate jewelry, to define their worth and consume their focus, eclipsing their relationship with God and their moral responsibilities. This passage thus speaks to the universal human tendency towards idolatry of self and possessions, warning that such superficiality ultimately leads to divine judgment and humiliation. True beauty and security, the passage implicitly teaches, are found in humility, righteousness, and a heart devoted to God, not in fleeting earthly treasures that can be stripped away.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Isaiah 3:21, though set in a specific ancient context, offers timeless principles for profound reflection and application in contemporary life. It challenges us to honestly examine our own priorities and the sources from which we derive our sense of worth and identity. Do we, like the "daughters of Zion," place undue emphasis on outward appearance, material possessions, social status, or the fleeting approval of others? Or is our primary focus on cultivating inner character, spiritual growth, and a genuine, humble relationship with God? This verse serves as a potent reminder that true and lasting beauty, security, and fulfillment come from a heart aligned with God's will, not from external adornments or the transient values of the world. It calls us to cultivate humility, contentment, and a spirit of gratitude, recognizing that all we have is a gift from God, and our ultimate treasure should be in Him alone.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what specific ways might I be tempted to prioritize outward appearance, material possessions, or social status over spiritual growth and the development of Christ-like character?
  • How does my personal understanding and pursuit of "beauty" align with or diverge from biblical principles that emphasize the hidden person of the heart?
  • What concrete steps can I take today to cultivate a more humble and contented spirit, becoming less reliant on external validation or worldly possessions for my sense of worth?

FAQ

Was all jewelry forbidden in ancient Israel, or is Isaiah 3:21 specifically condemning excessive adornment?

Answer: Isaiah 3:21, along with the broader passage in Isaiah 3:16-24, is not a blanket condemnation of all jewelry or personal adornment. Instead, it specifically targets the excessive, haughty, and idolatrous use of such items by the "daughters of Zion." The prophet's critique is aimed at the spiritual condition these adornments represented: vanity, pride, materialism, and a misplaced sense of worth derived from external display rather than from God. Other biblical passages indicate that jewelry was common and not inherently sinful; for example, Genesis 24:22 describes Rebekah receiving a nose ring and bracelets as a gift, and Ezekiel 16:11-12 portrays God adorning Jerusalem with beautiful jewels as a sign of His covenant love. The core issue in Isaiah 3 is the heart attitude behind the adornment and its role in reflecting societal decay and spiritual rebellion against God.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Isaiah 3:21, with its indictment of outward show and misplaced priorities, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the New Testament's consistent emphasis on the internal over the external, and the spiritual over the material. Jesus Himself frequently challenged the superficial religiosity of His day, condemning those who sought honor from men through outward displays while their hearts were far from God, as seen in His teachings on giving, praying, and fasting (Matthew 6:1-6). He taught that true treasure is not accumulated on earth, where moth and rust destroy, but in heaven, where it is secure and eternal (Matthew 6:19-21). The judgment against the "daughters of Zion" for their vanity foreshadows Christ's radical call to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, promising that all other necessary things will be added (Matthew 6:33). The New Testament further elaborates on this, with apostles like Peter and Paul encouraging believers to focus on the "hidden person of the heart" adorned with a "gentle and quiet spirit" rather than outward show (1 Peter 3:3-4) and to dress modestly, not with "gold or pearls or costly attire" but with good works, which are truly fitting for those who profess godliness (1 Timothy 2:9-10). Ultimately, Christ's life, teachings, and sacrificial death reveal that true glory and worth are found not in earthly adornments or status, but in humility, self-sacrifice, and a transformed heart that reflects the character of God, leading to an eternal inheritance that cannot be stripped away by any earthly judgment.

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Commentary on Isaiah 3 verses 16–26

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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