What does Isaiah 3:23 mean?

Isaiah now concludes his list of the finery which the Lord promised to take away from the proud and wealthy women of Judah. He finishes his list with a few more items. The mirrors were likely handheld. The linen garments may have been undergarments. Turbans could also be translated as "tiaras," and veils as "shawls."

This list is not meant to condemn the items it contains. Godly women are not forbidden from wearing jewelry or nice clothes or using mirrors. It is possible to be stylish and enjoy putting together your appearance without being sinful. In the context of Isaiah's passage, how these women presented themselves was a representation of their rejection of God in their hearts. That inner rejection bled into how they presented themselves.

These women made use of all these fine things to try to exalt themselves above others without relying on God. They were marked by conceited, over-sexualized attitudes (Isaiah 3:16–17). In addition, some of their items displayed symbols of false gods and the occultic spirituality of their time. These women were hoping in false gods and charms to provide for them and protect them.

God's people, both men and women, must not allow the culture to set standards of dress for them with no thought to whether we are bringing glory to God by our appearance and actions.