Isaiah 3:16-24

Because Of Their Vanity, And The Behaviour That It Results In the Women Will Lose Their Treasured Possessions (Isaiah 3:16).

Isaiah 3:16

‘Moreover Yahweh said,

“Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,

And walk with outstretched necks and wanton eyes,

Walking and mincing as they go,

And making a tinkling with their feet,

Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab,

The crown of the head of the daughters of Zion,

And Yahweh will lay bare,

Their secret parts.'

It is not only the leaders of the people who are failing them, but their wives as well. With their arrogant attitudes and frivolous and mincing ways they are bringing dishonour on God. They could have been doing so much good but they are mainly taken up with themselves, and must take their share of the blame for the condition of the nation. The description of women at the height of fashion is vivid and is a warning to any age.

Note how the aim of the women is all levelled at drawing attention to themselves. The tinkling with the feet is caused by their fashion accessories, by their ankle chains; with the mincing being the result of the chains joining both legs and causing short steps. The wanton eyes, the flirting, is a feature of such women, always seeking to entrap men, even if only for ‘fun'. This is forever God's condemnation on such overall behaviour, especially while others go in need.

So while the men are taken up with business (Isaiah 2:7 a), and war (Isaiah 2:7 b), with fine ships (Isaiah 2:16 a) and beautiful works of art (Isaiah 2:16 b), the women are taken up with fashion, attention seeking and flirting. Their land is filled with idols!

And because they glorify their beauty and reveal their wantonness the sovereign Lord will smite them with scabs and expose their shame. The punishment will fit the crime. It is the idea that is prominent not the literal execution.

Isaiah 3:18

‘In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their anklets,

And the cauls and the crescents, the pendants and the bracelets,

And the mufflers, the headtires and the ankle chains, and the sashes,

And the perfume boxes, and the amulets, the rings and the nose jewels,

The festival robes, and the mantles, and the shawls and the satchels,

The hand mirrors and the fine linen, and the turbans and the veils,

And it will come about that instead of sweet spices there will be rottenness,

And instead of a girdle, a rope,

And instead of well set air, baldness,

And instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth,

Branding instead of beauty.'

‘In that day.' That is the day when Yahweh acts whenever it is. Sometimes it refers to local action (Isaiah 3:7) and sometimes to God's final day of action (Isaiah 2:11) depending on context. The prophets saw all God's judgments as in the end one, both the more localised and the final.

So ‘the sovereign Lord' will act against all the excessive refinements of spoiled and pampered women. This is not specifically the condemnation of each item but of the whole picture in what it represents. They were arrogant and self-seeking, and lolled in luxury while there was poverty and suffering all around them. They were vain, proud, arrogant, selfish and spendthrift. But it will return on their own heads. Both old age and invasion will wreak their havoc. Instead of sweet spices, disgusting smells; instead of beautiful girdles, chafing ropes; instead of glorious hair, baldness; instead of corsets, signs of mourning; instead of beauty they will be branded.

The transitoriness of it all is being brought out. There is no guarantee that any of it will last. The positive side is well brought out by the New Testament in 1 Timothy 2:9; 1 Peter 3:1; Titus 2:5. God says, ‘Do not labour for what perishes, but for that which endures to eternal life' (John 6:27).

Isaiah no doubt obtained his detailed information from his womenfolk and not all the translations are certain. Some words are rare, referring to fashion accessories of the day, and have had to be guessed at. But the total picture is not affected.