Isaiah 3:16 Meaning and Explanation
“Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The daughters of Zion are condemned for arrogance and frivolous ostentation.
The Context of Isaiah 3:16
God pronounces judgment on the arrogant women of Jerusalem for their pride and vanity.
What Does Isaiah 3:16 Mean?
A new dimension of judgment opens: God addresses the daughters of Zion (the women of Jerusalem's upper classes). They are haughty—proud, stuck-up, arrogant. Their bearing displays this pride: necks stretched in disdain, eyes wandering and licentious (wanton), a mincing gait designed to draw admiration, and ornaments that jingle with each step. Everything about them broadcasts self-importance and love of display.
This passage is not condemning womanhood but condemning the pride and vanity of Jerusalem's elite women, who have adopted an attitude of superiority while the nation crumbles. Their frivolous concern with appearance and admiration stands in stark contrast to the poverty and collapse around them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaiah 3:16
What does Isaiah 3:16 mean?
The daughters of Zion are condemned for arrogance and frivolous ostentation.
What is the context of Isaiah 3:16?
God pronounces judgment on the arrogant women of Jerusalem for their pride and vanity.