Isaiah 3 - Printer Friendly

What does Isaiah 3 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Isaiah 3 describes more of what the Lord will take away from the people of Judah and Jerusalem in response to their faithlessness to Him. This includes qualified men and all the expensive adornments of beauty worn by women.

The previous chapter ended with a warning from Isaiah to the people: Stop trusting men to provide for and save you. They are one breath away from death (Isaiah 2:22).

Now Isaiah shows the problem with trusting in men. The Lord is going to take away all the powerful men and soldiers from Judah. As well as the judges, prophets, military leaders, counselors, and even the occult magicians and charms experts (Isaiah 3:1–3). When the Lord's judgment falls, in the form of invading armies, every man of substance will be killed or carried off.

The leaders left behind will be young, inexperienced, and weak (Isaiah 3:4). In the power vacuum that follows, the people will turn on each other, with the strong oppressing the poor and the old (Isaiah 3:5). Every person will fend for themselves. The people will try to convince any man with a cloak to become their leader (Isaiah 3:6). Overwhelmed, those elected will refuse the job (Isaiah 3:7).

Why will this happen? The people have been defying the Lord to His face. They sin boldly and out in the open. Isaiah says woe to them for they brought this upon themselves. The righteous will benefit from their good choices, but the wicked will get the same vile treatment they have given to others (Isaiah 3:8–12).

The Lord stands, as if in court, to present His charges against Israel's leaders. They are guilty of refusing the right path that Israel should be following. Instead of helping to provide for God's people, these selfish leaders have taken the food and belongings from the poor and have abused the needy (Isaiah 3:13–15).

Next, the Lord brings charges against the wealthy, haughty women of Jerusalem and Judah. Instead of being humble before the Lord because of their sin, they hold their heads high and constantly look around with seductive eyes. The Lord will take away the glory of their hair, leaving their heads bald and scabbing. He will strip them of their fancy clothes and leave them shamed and naked (Isaiah 3:16–17).

Isaiah provides a lengthy list of the clothes, jewelry, and accessories worn and carried by the rich women of his day. He says the Lord will take away everything from their anklets to their mirrors, from their pendant earrings to their occultic amulets (Isaiah 3:18–23). When judgment comes, their perfume will be replaced by stench, their fine belts with rough ropes, their styled hair with baldness, and their beauty with the brands of their enemies (Isaiah 3:24).

Speaking next of Jerusalem as a woman, Isaiah writes that her men will die in battle leaving her unprotected (Isaiah 3:25). The enemy will carry off everything and everyone of value. This is likely a reference to the eventual conquest of Jerusalem and the captivity of the people (2 Kings 24:14). This would leave Jerusalem's remnants to mourn while she sits empty and broken on a hill (Isaiah 3:26).

Isaiah 3:1–15 describes what will happen when God removes all the men of importance from Jerusalem . From soldiers to commanders and judges to charms experts. Those left behind will soon turn on each other for survival, oppressing the poor and old. Any man offered the role of Jerusalem's leader will refuse, knowing he cannot bring healing or provision to God's people. The Lord will bring charges against Judah's current leaders for mistreating the poor and taking everything from them.

Isaiah 3:16–4:1 describes the wealthy women of Jerusalem and Judah from the Lord's perspective. He describes them as conceited, casting seductive looks all around. Because of their open rebellion, the Lord will take away all their adornments, from their moon-god crescent ornaments to their veils. When the judgment comes, their perfume will be replaced by stench and their styled hair with baldness. They will wear sackcloth with rope belts. They will be destitute and lonely enough to beg any living man to simply say he is their husband. Jerusalem's men will fall in battle, leaving the city exposed. Jerusalem will sit empty and in mourning.

Chapter Summary:

Isaiah reveals that the Lord will take away all the qualified men from Judah and Jerusalem in His judgment. This includes military, political, and spiritual leaders. After they're gone, the people will turn on each other to survive, trying to convince anyone with the slightest advantage to be their leader. The Lord makes his case against Judah's leaders for taking from the poor instead of providing for them. The Lord will take away from Judah's women all the adornments they displayed in public in their arrogance and immorality. Jerusalem's men will fall, and she will be left empty.

Chapter Context:

Isaiah 3 picks up where the last verse in Isaiah 2 left off (Isaiah 2:22). There Isaiah warned the people not to trust in mere men and now he proclaims that the Lord will remove all the qualified men from Jerusalem. Those left behind will turn on each other. The Lord will bring charges against Jerusalem's current leaders for mistreating the poor. Because the wealthy women of Jerusalem and Judah are arrogant and immoral, the Lord will take away all their adornments, replacing hair with baldness and beauty with enemy brands. Jerusalem's men will die, leaving her broken and empty. This likely refers to the eventual invasion of Jerusalem and the capture of her people (2 Kings 24:14).

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).

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