Isaiah 32:11 Meaning and Explanation
“Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The women are called to mourn and repent in the traditional posture of sackcloth and ashes.
The Context of Isaiah 32:11
The women must move from passive suffering to active mourning and acknowledgment of judgment.
What Does Isaiah 32:11 Mean?
The command uses ritual language of mourning: stripping off fine garments and donning coarse sackcloth (a rough cloth worn in times of grief and repentance). The call is not merely to feel trouble emotionally but to embody it physically through mourning practices. This is the outward sign of genuine turning from carelessness.
Sackcloth upon the loins symbolizes laying aside pride and comfort. The call moves from passive experience of trouble to active mourning—an acknowledgment of loss and a turning toward repentance. It is a call to face reality and respond with humility.
Isaiah 32:11 in the Original Language
saq (שַׂק), 'sackcloth' — rough fabric worn in mourning, symbolizing abandonment of luxury and comfort.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaiah 32:11
What does Isaiah 32:11 mean?
The women are called to mourn and repent in the traditional posture of sackcloth and ashes.
What is the context of Isaiah 32:11?
The women must move from passive suffering to active mourning and acknowledgment of judgment.