Isaiah 3:16

Washing Away Impurity

3:16 The Lord says,

“The women ¹  of Zion are proud.

They walk with their heads high ² 

and flirt with their eyes.

They skip along ³ 

and the jewelry on their ankles jingles. ⁴ 

Isaiah 3:18

3:18 ⁵ At that time ⁶  the sovereign master will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, ⁷  neck ornaments, crescent shaped ornaments,

Isaiah 3:20

3:20 headdresses, ankle ornaments, sashes, sachets, ⁸  amulets,

[3:16]  ¹ tn Heb “daughters” (so KJV, NAB, NRSV).

[3:16]  ² tn Heb “with an outstretched neck.” They proudly hold their heads high so that others can see the jewelry around their necks.

[3:16]  ³ tn Heb “walking and skipping, they walk.”

[3:16]  ⁴ tn Heb “and with their feet they jingle.”

[3:18]  ⁵ sn The translation assumes that the direct quotation ends with v. 17. The introductory formula “in that day” and the shift from a poetic to prosaic style indicate that a new speech unit begins in v. 18.

[3:18]  ⁶ tn Or “in that day” (KJV).

[3:18]  ⁷ tn Or “the beauty of [their] ankle jewelry.”

[3:20]  ⁹ tn Heb “houses of breath.” HALOT 124 s.v. בַּיִת defines them as “scent-bottles”; cf. NAB, NRSV “perfume boxes.”