Isaiah 3 24

Isaiah 3:24 kjv

And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell 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.

Isaiah 3:24 nkjv

And so it shall be: Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench; Instead of a sash, a rope; Instead of well-set hair, baldness; Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; And branding instead of beauty.

Isaiah 3:24 niv

Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well-dressed hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, branding.

Isaiah 3:24 esv

Instead of perfume there will be rottenness; and instead of a belt, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a skirt of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty.

Isaiah 3:24 nlt

Instead of smelling of sweet perfume, she will stink.
She will wear a rope for a sash,
and her elegant hair will fall out.
She will wear rough burlap instead of rich robes.
Shame will replace her beauty.

Isaiah 3 verses

Isaiah 3 24 Meaning

Isaiah 3:24 foretells the dire consequences of Judah's sin and pride, specifically targeting the extravagant and haughty "daughters of Zion." It describes a complete reversal of their luxurious outward appearance, signifying profound humiliation, mourning, and divine judgment. Their symbols of beauty, wealth, and status—sweet perfume, fine sashes, elaborate hairstyles, and rich robes—will be replaced by their antitheses: stench, rope for a belt (implying captivity or poverty), baldness (shame and mourning), sackcloth (deep distress and humiliation), and a branded mark or disfigurement instead of beauty. This verse powerfully illustrates how God removes all outward adornments and privileges from those who reject His ways, leaving them exposed in their true, fallen state.

Isaiah 3 24 Context

Isaiah chapter 3 provides a scathing indictment of Judah, foretelling God's severe judgment due to their widespread sin, social injustice, and corrupt leadership. The chapter begins with God removing Judah's leaders and strong support, leading to societal collapse and a descent into lawlessness and childish rule. The specific focus then shifts to the "daughters of Zion" (Isa 3:16-24), who represent the elite women of Jerusalem. They are depicted as vain, haughty, and preoccupied with their opulent clothing and ornaments, reflecting the nation's spiritual degeneracy. Verse 24 details the reversal of their prideful displays: their wealth and beauty will be replaced by the marks of shame, mourning, disease, poverty, and possibly captivity, indicating a complete loss of honor and well-being. This judgment is presented as a direct consequence of their arrogant and selfish lifestyles, which ignored the plight of the poor and oppressed in their midst. The broader historical context is the period leading up to the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, where Judah's persistent sinfulness led to inevitable divine chastisement.

Isaiah 3 24 Word analysis

• Instead of sweet smell (תַּחַת בֹּשֶׂם takhat bōśem):
  • Takhat means "instead of, in place of."
  • Bōśem (H1314) refers to fragrance, perfume, or balsam. It denotes luxury, allure, and self-indulgence. This was an expensive commodity, signaling wealth and status.
• There will be rottenness (יִהְיֶה מַק yihyeh maq):
  • Yihyeh is the verb "there will be/become."
  • Maq (H4716, root maqaq) means "rottenness, decay, putrefaction, stench." It's often associated with decaying flesh, disease, or moral corruption. This starkly contrasts the delightful perfume with offensive stench, symbolizing a deep physical and moral decay.
• Instead of a belt (תַּחַת חֲגוֹרָה takhat ḥagorāh):
  • Ḥagorāh (H2290) is an ornamental girdle, sash, or belt, often finely embroidered or jeweled, signifying elegance and fashion.
• A rope (חֲבַל ḥabāl or perhaps better reading חֶבֶל ḥevel - rope, cord, measuring line):
  • Ḥevel (H2256) indicates a common rope or cord. This suggests being bound as a captive, reduced to slavery, or simply having a coarse rope instead of a luxurious belt, symbolizing utter destitution and humiliation. It implies the loss of dignity and freedom.
• Instead of well-set hair (תַּחַת מִקְשֶׁה takhat miqsheh):
  • Miqsheh (H4747) refers to carefully arranged hair, braids, or an elaborate coiffure. It denotes vanity and meticulous attention to appearance, a hallmark of their pride.
• Baldness (קָרְחָה qoraḥāh):
  • Qoraḥāh (H7146) means baldness or a shaved head. In ancient Near Eastern cultures and Israel, a shaved head was a sign of intense mourning, deep humiliation, disgrace, or even captivity (e.g., slave branding). It is the antithesis of meticulously styled hair, symbolizing utter devastation and shame.
• Instead of rich robe (תַּחַת מְעִיל takhat meʿîl):
  • Meʿîl (H4594) refers to a costly, flowing robe, an outer garment signifying wealth, honor, and high status.
• A girding of sackcloth (מַחֲגוֹר שַׂק maḥagōr śaq):
  • Śaq (H8242) is sackcloth, a coarse, dark fabric typically worn in times of intense grief, repentance, humility, or calamity. This symbolizes the extreme reversal from luxury to sorrow, deep lament, and degradation.
• And instead of beauty (וְתַחַת יֹפִי wetaḥat yōfî):
  • Yōfî (H3308) means beauty, splendor, comeliness, or attractiveness. It refers to the overall pleasing appearance, signifying pride in one's physical form.
• Burning (כִּי kī - debated; could be kī ʿarat for branding or scar):
  • The Hebrew word kī here is subject to much scholarly debate. While it can mean "for, surely, because," some interpretations (e.g., KJV "burning") see it as referring to a branding mark (like on a slave or prisoner of war) or a sun-scorch or skin disease resulting in disfigurement. If taken as a brand, it would imply the ultimate public humiliation and loss of freedom, permanently defacing their most valued attribute – beauty. This signifies disfigurement and shame.

Isaiah 3 24 Bonus section

The specific items listed for judgment in Isa 3:24 directly parallel the specific items of adornment listed in the preceding verses (Isa 3:18-23). This intentional literary structure emphasizes a tit-for-tat justice, where every act of proud display finds its direct, humiliating antithesis in judgment. For example, the many varieties of elaborate hairstyles are directly contrasted with total baldness, signifying not just loss but disgrace. The mention of "rope" replacing an ornamental belt may also subtly hint at the rope used by the Assyrians to lead captives away, signifying eventual exile. The deep sense of shame and humiliation conveyed here is a significant aspect of divine judgment, aimed at breaking the stubborn pride of the unrepentant. This divine action aims not merely at physical suffering but at shattering the ego and stripping away all that lent them an ungodly sense of importance.

Isaiah 3 24 Commentary

Isaiah 3:24 stands as a profound testament to the consequences of unbridled pride, vanity, and social injustice. God's judgment is not arbitrary but directly targets the very source of their haughtiness—their outward splendor and self-worship. The passage employs vivid antithetical imagery: the very elements of their proud display—fragrance, adornment, luxurious garments, and physical beauty—will be inverted into symbols of utter degradation, disease, poverty, and enslavement. This radical reversal highlights God's punitive justice, which strips away external glory when internal decay has set in. The prophetic declaration emphasizes that material possessions and physical allure, when divorced from righteous living, are transient and ultimately cannot protect from divine wrath. It is a stark warning that outward show is nothing before God when the heart is rebellious, leading to a visible manifestation of their inward spiritual corruption. This also illustrates a timeless spiritual principle: those who exalt themselves will be humbled (Lk 14:11), and those who refuse to humble themselves through repentance will face compulsory humiliation.