Isaiah 3 21

Isaiah 3:21 kjv

The rings, and nose jewels,

Isaiah 3:21 nkjv

and the rings; The nose jewels,

Isaiah 3:21 niv

the signet rings and nose rings,

Isaiah 3:21 esv

the signet rings and nose rings;

Isaiah 3:21 nlt

rings, jewels,

Isaiah 3 verses

Isaiah 3 21 Meaning

Isaiah 3:21 prophesies the divine judgment on the haughty "daughters of Zion" (the elite women of Jerusalem), specifying that their precious "rings" and "nose jewels" will be stripped away. This removal signifies their public humiliation, loss of status, and the stripping of their superficial glory as a direct consequence of their pride, vanity, and social indifference that masked deeper spiritual decay. It is part of a larger prophecy detailing the comprehensive stripping of all that the people esteemed, illustrating God's complete devastation upon the unrighteous city.

Isaiah 3 21 Context

Isaiah chapter 3 begins by announcing God's severe judgment on Judah and Jerusalem due to their widespread moral and spiritual corruption. This judgment encompasses removing societal pillars like wise leaders and brave warriors (v. 1-7), plunging the nation into anarchy and ruin. The root cause is their rebellion against the Lord (v. 8). The latter half of the chapter, particularly from verse 16 onwards, shifts focus to the "daughters of Zion"—the wealthy and fashionable women of Jerusalem. These women are condemned not just for their excessive adornment, but for the pride, haughtiness, provocative walks, and inner emptiness it represented. Their outward display of luxury, attained often through social injustice, contrasted sharply with the plight of the poor and oppressed, manifesting their deeper spiritual apostasy. Isaiah 3:21 is one verse in a detailed list (v. 18-23) of specific luxury items and garments that God vows to strip from these women. This stripping symbolizes total public disgrace, the loss of their status, and the desolation of their once-privileged lives, serving as a powerful visual of the judgment coming upon the entire nation. Historically, Judah was facing threats from powerful empires, and internal corruption weakened their spiritual and social fabric, making them ripe for divine chastisement.

Isaiah 3 21 Word analysis

• The rings (Hebrew: נְזָמִים, nezamim): This term generally refers to rings worn in the ear (earrings) or nose (nose-rings). In the context of ancient Near Eastern culture and its pairing with "nose jewels," it highly implies both forms. These were significant indicators of wealth, social status, and personal adornment. Their removal is a stripping of outward dignity.
• and nose jewels (Hebrew: וְהַנֶּזֶם, v'hannezem): This term more specifically refers to a nose-ring. The addition of "and" suggests it is either a distinct category from the nezamim (perhaps "rings" covering earrings, and "nose jewels" specifying nose-rings), or it emphasizes the nose-ring as a particularly prominent and valued item. In many ancient cultures, nose-rings (sometimes large and ornate) were deeply symbolic of status, marital standing, or a dowry payment. Their removal signifies a particularly personal and shaming loss.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• The rings, and nose jewels: This phrase specifies two valuable and culturally significant items of personal adornment worn by women. They represent the superficiality and material excess that characterized the "daughters of Zion." The emphasis on such details underscores the prophetic message: God's judgment would directly target and strip away that which they cherished most – their outward display, vanity, and perceived social standing. The loss of these particular items, often worn in prominent facial positions, would result in public humiliation, making plain the internal spiritual bankruptcy that external wealth attempted to cover.

Isaiah 3 21 Bonus section

The stripping of these particular adornments like rings and nose jewels carried immense cultural significance beyond mere loss of property. In ancient Near Eastern societies, such items could signify a woman's marital status, her family's wealth, her social standing, and even her personal beauty. Nose rings, for instance, were sometimes part of a dowry or a gift from a husband, marking the woman as taken and valued. Their removal meant total social degradation, the obliteration of status, and deep personal shame. This vivid image of stripping the women naked of their adornments illustrates not only judgment but also a deliberate act of public humiliation, directly mirroring their own haughty display. It speaks to a profound loss of identity rooted in external presentation, highlighting the prophetic call to find one's true identity and worth in a relationship with God, rather than in perishable possessions.

Isaiah 3 21 Commentary

Isaiah 3:21 is a specific detail within a comprehensive indictment and prophecy of judgment against Judah and Jerusalem. By focusing on "the rings, and nose jewels," the prophet highlights the intense focus on superficial beauty and material wealth that consumed the women of the elite, who represented the moral decay of the city. These adornments were symbols of status, vanity, and perhaps even their spiritual emptiness, contrasting with the suffering around them. God's act of stripping away these cherished items is a direct and humiliating punishment for their pride, greed, and indifference to justice. It demonstrates that true worth and security do not lie in outward displays, which can be easily taken away by divine decree. This judgment serves as a profound object lesson on the emptiness of materialism and the certain consequence of prioritizing appearance over righteousness and inward godliness. The spiritual principle is clear: what humans glorify, God will humble, and what is externally impressive often hides internal decay that invites divine correction.