Isaiah 3:16-26

16 Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and swaggering as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:
17 Therefore the Lord will make bare the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will uncover that which they are ashamed of.
18 In that day the Lord will take away the adornment of their shoes and their hair nets and their crystals,
19 the chains and the jewels and the bracelets,
20 the bonnets and the ornaments of the legs and the headbands and the powders and the earrings,
21 the rings, and nose jewels,
22 the changeable suits of apparel and the mantles and the veils and the crisping pins,
23 the looking glasses and the fine linen and the hoods and the hairdos.
24 And it shall come to pass that instead of sweet perfumes, 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 Thy gates shall lament and mourn, and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.

Isaiah 3:16-26 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 3

In this chapter the Jews are threatened with various calamities, on account of their sins, which would issue in their entire ruin and destruction. They are threatened with a famine, Isa 3:1 with a removal of useful men in church and state, and in common life, Isa 3:2,3 with ignorant and effeminate governors; the consequences of which would be oppression and insolence, Isa 3:4,5 yea, that such would be their state and condition, that men, though naturally ambitious of honour, would refuse to have the government of them, Isa 3:6,7 the reasons of these calamities, and of this ruin and fall of them, are their evil words and actions against the Lord, which were highly provoking to him; and their impudence in sinning like Sodom, which was to their own harm, Isa 3:8,9 yet, in the midst of all this, it is the will of God that the righteous should be told it shall be well with them, with the reason of it; when it shall be ill with the wicked, as a just recompence of reward, Isa 3:10,11 the errors and mistakes of the people are attributed to their childish and effeminate governors, Isa 3:12 wherefore the Lord determines to plead their cause, and contend with their elders and rulers, because they had spoiled and devoured the poor, Isa 3:13-15 and particularly the women are threatened, for their pride and luxury, to have their ornaments taken from them, which are particularly mentioned, Isa 3:16-24 and the chapter is concluded with a prophecy, that their mighty men should perish by the sword in war, and the city should be desolate, Isa 3:25,26.

The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010