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Isaiah 3:17

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Isaiah 3:17 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and Jehovah will lay bare their secret parts.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and Jehovah will lay bare their secret parts.
Isaiah 3:17 — American Standard Version

Context — Isaiah 3

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
14Jehovah will enter into judgment with the elders of his people, and the princes thereof: It is ye that have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses:
15what mean ye that ye crush my people, and grind the face of the poor? saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.
16Moreover Jehovah said, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with outstretched necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet;
17therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and Jehovah will lay bare their secret parts.
18In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, and the cauls, and the crescents;
19the pendants, and the bracelets, and the mufflers;
20the headtires, and the ankle chains, and the sashes, and the perfume-boxes, and the amulets;
← Isaiah 3:16Isaiah 3:18 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, &c.] This is opposed to the lifting up of their heads in that haughty manner they did, and to the binding, and plaiting, and curling of their hair, which now will fall off, through the scab or leprosy upon them, or must be obliged to be shaven off. And the Lord will discover their secret parts; the Vulgate Latin renders it, “their hair”, which is their glory, (<461106>1 Corinthians 11:6). The Targum is, “and the Lord shall take away their glory”. The Syriac and Arabic versions render it “their sex”, that which distinguishes their sex; of which Aben Ezra and Kimchi interpret it; than which nothing could…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“smite with a scab--literally, "make bald," namely, by disease. discover--cause them to suffer the greatest indignity that can befall female captives, namely to be stripped naked, and have their persons exposed (Isa 47:3; compare with Isa 20:4).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab - There is some diversity of rendering to this expression. The Septuagint reads it: ‘The Lord will humble the principal daughters of Zion’ - those who belong to the court, or to the families of the princes. The Chaldee, ‘The Lord will prostrate the glory of the daughters of Zion.’ The Syriac is the same. The Hebrew word שׂפח s'ı̂phach, translated ‘will smite with a scab,’ means to “make bald,” particularly to make the hair fall off by sickness. Our translation conveys the idea essentially, that is, that God would visit them with disease that would remove the hair which they regarded as so great an ornament, and on which they so much prided…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Secret paths - By giving her into the power of those enemies that shall strip her of all her raiment. Isaiah 3:18”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“3:17-25 In a reversal of fortune, the affluent and proud people of Jerusalem would suffer disgrace. Some of their ornaments (3:18) likely were amulets to keep evil away, but they could not ward off the calamity of judgment. These items of beauty were status symbols and represented financial security.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“smite: Lev 13:29, Lev 13:30, Lev 13:43, Lev 13:44; Deu 28:27; Rev 16:2 discover: Heb. made naked, Isa 20:4, Isa 47:2, Isa 47:3; Jer 13:22; Eze 16:36, Eze 16:37, Eze 23:25-29; Mic 1:11; Nah 3:5 Isaiah 3:18”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification