And the Lord said: Because the daughters of Sion are haughty, and have walked with stretched out necks, and wanton glances of their eyes, and made a noise as they walked with their feet and moved in a set pace:

“But shouldest thou enter into a church, thou geest forth, without getting anything but countless leers, and revilings, and curses, not from the beholders only, but also from the prophet. For straightway Isaiah, that hath the fullest voice of all, as soon as he hath seen thee, will cry out, "These things saith the Lord against the princely daughters of Sion; because they walked with a lofty neck, and with winkings of the eyes, and in their walking, trailing their garments, and mincing at the same time with their feet; the Lord shall take off their bravery, and instead of a sweet smell there shall be dust, and instead of a stomacher, thou shalt gird thyself with a cord." These things for thy gorgeous array. For not to them only are these words addressed, but to every woman that doeth like them.”

“And the Lord said Concerning the women who governed My people, “Since the daughters of Zion are so haughty...” and winking eyes Heb. וּמְשַׂקְּרוֹת, an expression of looking. Another explanation is: They paint their eyes with vermilion or with blue eye shade. walking and raising themselves they walk Heb. ותפוף. This is an expression of something floating on another, as (Deut. 11:4): “over whom He caused...to flow (הֵצִיף),” which the Targum renders as אַטֵיף. Thus, a tall one would walk between two short ones, in order to appear to be floating over them (Shabbath 62b). Jonathan, however, renders: and with wigs they surround themselves. They would tie wigs, braids of cut-off hair. They would twist together with their braids so that they would appear thick and broad. and with their feet they spout venom When they would pass in the street near Jewish youths, they would stamp their feet and hint to them of the affection of the adulteresses, in order to arouse their temptation, like the venom of a serpent. עֶכֶס is the venom of a serpent.”

“ומשקרות And wantonly looking about. In Rabbinical literature a woman of this class is called סקרנית (Bereshith Rabba, 100:19). וטפוף According to some, Speaking; comp. והטף And prophesy (Ez. 21:2); but the grammatical principles of the Hebrew language will not admit of this explanation ; according to others, Mincing—comp. אטיף, the Chaldæan translation of הציף He made overflow (Deut. 11:8)—‘ moving slowly, like one that swims upon the surface of the water.’ Others, again, derive it from טף Little ones (Est. 3:16), and I incline to this opinion ; walking slowly like a child. תעכסנה They put spurs. They wear spurs on their feet, like riding-men; according to some, they make a tinkling with their spurs.”

“'And the Lord said, for this.' Here the divine judgment against the women is set forth: and first the fault is laid open; second, the punishment is foretold, at the words, 'he will make bald.' The first is divided into two. In the first he accuses them of pride; in the second, of wantonness, at the words, 'and with nods.' Concerning the first he does two things. In the first he accuses the pride in the heart, when he says: 'because they have been lifted up in pride.' Psalm 130: 'Lord, my heart is not exalted.' Second, he accuses the sign of pride in the body: 'they walked with neck outstretched,' which is a sign of pride. Job 15: 'he ran against him with neck erect, and is armed with a fat neck.' 'And with nods.' Here he accuses their wantonness in four things, by which they provoked men to lust. First, in sight itself: hence he says, 'and with nods.' Proverbs 6: 'let not your heart covet her beauty, lest you be caught by her nods.' Second, in play: 'and they clapped.' The Gloss: by playing. Ecclesiasticus 9: 'do not be continually with a dancing girl (...) lest perhaps you perish by her power.' Third, in gait: 'and they walked.' Proverbs 7: 'garrulous, wandering, unable to bear rest, nor able to keep her feet at home.' Fourth, by wanton adornment, 'with measured step.' The Gloss: adorned from the plunder of the poor. Proverbs 7: 'behold, a woman meets him, decked out in harlot's attire, prepared to catch souls.' 'He will make bald.' Here he threatens the punishment: and first as to the taking away of ornaments; second, as to the comfort of men, at the words, 'the most beautiful men also.' Concerning the first he does two things. First he takes away from them the ornaments that are signs of unfitting gladness and wantonness; in the second he recompenses signs of sadness and misery, at the words, 'and it shall be, instead of sweet.' Concerning the first he does two things. First he takes away from them the natural adornment of the hair; second, the artificial, at the words, 'in that day.' He says therefore first, 'he will make bald,' as to the real hair. Below, 15: 'upon all its heads there shall be baldness.' 'He will lay bare,' as to the false hair, which is like a garment. Deuteronomy 32: 'from the captivity of the bared head of the enemies.' 'In that day.' Here he takes away from them the artificial ornaments; and first those that pertain to the adornment of the members; second, those that pertain to the care of ornaments, at the words, 'and pins, and mirrors.' Concerning the first he does two things. First he takes away those that pertain to the adornment of the parts; second, those that pertain to the adornment of the whole, at the words, 'and the changes of raiment.' Concerning the first he does two things: first he takes away what pertains to the members of the body; second, what pertains especially to the organs of the senses, at the words, 'and the little smelling-bottles.' Concerning the first he does two things. First he takes away those things that pertain to the members of the lower part of the body; second, those that pertain especially to the members of the head, at the words, 'and headdresses.' He says therefore first, as to the feet, the ornaments of footwear; whatsoever kind, and especially the 'little moons,' certain figures made on the footwear of gilded leather. Song of Songs 7: 'how beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince's daughter.' Second, as to the neck, 'chains,' certain ornaments of the neck hanging down to the breast, given in honor of victory. Proverbs 1: 'that grace may be added to your head, and a chain to your neck.' Third, as to the breast, he says, 'necklaces,' any ornaments whatsoever, but especially the clasps by which the breast is secured, lest the garments come open. Song of Songs 7: 'the joints of your thighs are like necklaces, which have been fashioned by the hand of a craftsman.' Fourth, as to the arms, he says, 'bracelets,' ornaments of the arms, named from the shoulder [armus]. Exodus 35: 'the men, along with the women, provided bracelets.' 'And headdresses.' Here he sets down the ornaments of the head: and first as to the crown of the head. 'Headdresses,' ornaments of the head in the manner of a crown. Judith 10: 'she placed a headdress upon her head, her hair having been parted.' Second, as to the hair, he says: 'hairpins,' certain instruments made of silver or gold in the manner of a sharp stick, by which women part their hair in front of the forehead, just as was said in Judith, in the same place: 'she parted the hair of her head.' Third, as to the neck, he touches on two things. First, 'periscelides,' from 'peri,' which is 'around,' and 'colon,' which is 'member,' as it were an ornament around a member. Haymo says that it is made of gold in the likeness of bracelets, and is placed around the neck. The Gloss says that it is upon the feet, similar to bracelets. Others say that they are a certain ornament placed around the edges of garments, like gold embroidery, or certain furs, or something of this kind. And this can stand together with both of the aforesaid; for in this way they are both around the neck and around the feet. For garments have such things both in the hoods and in the lower hems, and thus they adorn the neck indirectly. Numbers 31: 'for this reason we offer, each in the gifts of the Lord, whatever of gold we were able to find in the plunder: periscelides, and bracelets, rings.' Second, he sets down the immediate ornaments of the neck, when he says, 'little chains,' namely certain chains inlaid with little rods of gold and silver in the manner of a moray eel, which are placed around the neck. Song of Songs 1: 'we will make you little chains of gold, inlaid with silver.' And because the neck is the middle between the head and the body, its adornment overflows into both; and therefore it is placed with both. 'And little smelling-bottles.' Here are set down those things that pertain to the organs of sense: and first as to smell. 'Little smelling-bottles,' certain small boxes in which they used to put musk and the like, or also certain vessels, like little 'apples' made of silver, pierced in the manner of a censer, in which fire and something fragrant is placed. Song of Songs 1: 'we will run to the fragrance of your ointments.' Second, as to hearing, 'earrings,' certain circles of gold or silver, which are placed in the ears of women pierced for this purpose. Hosea 2: 'she adorned herself with her earring and her necklace, and went after her lovers.' Third, as to touch, which is most vigorous in the fingers. 'Rings.' Numbers 31, the authority already adduced above: 'for this reason we offer rings, etc.' Fourth, as to sight, 'jewels' hanging on the forehead, with which the women of Egypt were adorned. Exodus 25: 'you shall take onyx stones and jewels for adorning the ephod and the breastplate.' Of taste he makes no mention, because its instrument is internal, and is not adorned. 'And the changes of raiment.' Here he sets down the ornaments pertaining to the whole body; and first for putting on; and thus he says: 'changes of raiment,' that is, different pairs of garments. Zechariah 3: 'I have clothed you with changes of raiment; and he said, place the turban.' Second, for covering: and thus he says, 'cloaks.' Genesis 24: 'but she, quickly taking a cloak, covered herself.' Third, for lying down, and thus he says, 'linen sheets.' John 20: 'Peter came, and went into the tomb, and saw the linen cloths lying there.' 'And pins.' Here he sets down the things that pertain to the care of ornaments; and first for arranging them. 'Pins.' Matthew 19: 'it is easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.' Second, for discerning, 'and mirrors,' by which women discern whether they are well adorned. Exodus 38: 'he also made the bronze laver with its base from the mirrors of the women who kept watch before the door of the tabernacle and the court.' Third, for covering the ornaments; and first for covering the ornaments of the shoulders, 'and fine linen cloths,' delicate veils by which the shoulders are covered, as is done in Campania by the women. Proverbs, last: 'she made fine linen and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Canaanite.' Second, for covering the ornaments of the head, 'headbands,' that is, veils. Or better, it should be said that they are called certain bindings, by which women bind their hair, made in the manner of a net; and thus it is taken in Exodus 28: 'and you shall bind it with a hyacinth-blue band,' namely the plate of purest gold, on which the holy name of the Lord was written. Third, for covering the ornaments of the whole body, he says, 'theristra.' The Gloss: a very fine woman's garment, penetrable to sight, suitable for summer, and named from this; for 'theria' means 'summer.' And women especially were accustomed to wear this sort of thing over silk garments. Genesis 38: 'the garments of her widowhood having been laid aside, she took up a summer garment.' Of many of these it is said, Ezekiel 16: 'I clothed you with embroidered garments, I shod you with hyacinth-blue, and I girded you with fine linen, and I clothed you with delicate garments (...) and I put bracelets on your hands, and a chain around your neck, and I put earrings upon your face, and circles in your ears, and a crown of beauty upon your head.' 'And it shall be.' Here, the ornaments of wantonness having been taken away, he changes them into the trappings of misery. And first, as to that which is external, he says: 'it shall be instead of sweet odor': for odor is from without. Joel 2: 'its stench shall rise up, and its rottenness shall rise up, because it has acted proudly.' Second, as to that which is around, he says, 'instead of a girdle, a rope.' Job 12: 'he looses the belt of kings, and girds their loins with a rope.' Third, as to that which is above, he says, 'instead of curled hair.' Fourth, as to that which is within: 'instead of a breast-band.' The Gloss: by which the breasts are restrained, that is, compressed, lest by their size they cause an unseemliness. 'The most beautiful men also.' Here he takes away from them the comfort of men as to four things. Now women delight in the beauty of men; and as to this he says: 'the most beautiful men also, by the sword.' Lamentations 4: 'her Nazirites were whiter than snow, more radiant than milk, more ruddy than ancient ivory, more beautiful than sapphire.' Second, in strength; and as to this he says, 'and the strong.' Below, 23: 'into captivity.' Third, they delight in dignity; and as to this he says: 'and they shall mourn,' inwardly, 'and shall lament,' outwardly, 'her gates,' that is, the judges sitting in the gates. Lamentations 2: 'her gates have been brought down into the ground; and he has destroyed and broken her bars, her king.' Fourth, they delight in the pleasantness of men; and as to this he says: 'and desolate she shall sit upon the ground.' Lamentations 1: 'he has made me desolate, wasted with grief all the day.' It is asked first, concerning this chapter, about what he says, 'the soothsayer.' For it seems according to this that it is lawful to inquire about the future from soothsayers: for to take away something unlawful is not a punishment, but rather a benefit. Furthermore, the same seems to follow from the Gloss, that they sometimes speak the truth; but the truth is to be accepted from anyone whatsoever; therefore also from them. Furthermore, since demons are the clearest mirrors according to intellect, as Dionysius says, it seems that in those things which pertain to knowledge, it is at least not evil to receive something from them; and thus to attend to divinations will be lawful; and especially since no knowledge is evil, and divination implies knowledge. To this it must be said that divination, by its very name, denotes the usurpation of a divine act, and this especially in the knowledge of future things which cannot naturally be known. For there are certain future things which have determinate causes in nature, from which they necessarily arise, like an eclipse of the sun; and concerning these there is no divination. Certain others also have determinate causes from which they arise for the most part, like dryness in summer under the Dog Star: hence concerning these there is no divination. Such indeed are the prognostications of physicians about health or death, and of sailors about a coming storm; unless perhaps they are foretold as future with, as it were, unshakeable certainty, because this belongs to God alone. There are also certain future things which do not have determinate causes in nature, and especially those which come about from free choice; and of these no one has foreknowledge except God, to whom all things are present on account of the stability of his eternity, or someone receiving it from God. And if indeed such things are foretold by divine inspiration, it will be prophecy, and not divination: but if by one's own contrivance, deceitfully, for the sake of some gain, as old women do, it is called divination, and is a sin, both on account of the lie — because they assert uncertain things as true — and on account of the deception, and on account of the usurpation of the deity. Likewise it is called divination if it is done by the counsel of demons in any way whatsoever; who indeed can foretell certain future things, either those of which they themselves are the cause, or those which they themselves know through the revelation of the good angels, or those which they themselves know by natural knowledge, in those things which have determinate causes in nature — hidden from us, but known to them, both on account of the keenness of their intelligence and on account of the experience of a long time. And yet it is always a sin to inquire from them, and an apostasy from the faith, as Augustine says. And this for three reasons: first, because although they speak the truth, yet their intention is always to deceive; second, because they cannot have certain knowledge, except concerning those things which they know through revelation; third, because we cannot at the same time be partakers of the gifts of God and of the devil. And this is the chief reason among all. And although it is, absolutely speaking, a benefit to take such things away, nevertheless it is a punishment to those who follow such things, because it is contrary to their will. Then it is asked concerning choral dances, whether they can be practiced without sin, on account of what he says, 'and they clapped': for he accuses it as though it were a sin. To which indeed it must be said that play in itself is not evil; for otherwise there would not be, in games, the virtue that is called eutrapelia: but according as it is ordered to a different end, and clothed with different circumstances, it can be an act of virtue or of vice. For since it is impossible always to act in the active and contemplative life, it is therefore necessary sometimes to interpose joys amid cares, lest the mind be broken by excessive severity, and so that afterward a man may more readily devote himself to the works of the virtues. And if games are engaged in for such an end, with the other circumstances, it will be an act of virtue, and can be meritorious, if it is informed by grace. Now these circumstances seem to be especially observed in choral dancing: that the person not be unfitting, such as a cleric, or a religious; that it be at a time of gladness, such as for the sake of deliverance, or at weddings, and the like; that it be done with honest persons, and with honest singing; and that the gestures not be too wanton — and whatever other things there are of this kind. But if it is done to provoke wantonness, and according to other undue circumstances, it is clear that the act will be vicious. Then it is asked concerning the adornment of women, whether it is lawful for women to adorn themselves. And it seems that it is not, on account of what is said here, and 1 Timothy 2: 'not with braided hair, or gold and silver, or pearls, or costly clothing; but what befits women, etc.' And it must be said that adornment is to be measured especially according to the manner and measure of the person, and according to intention. For if women wear ornaments befitting their state and dignity, so that they conduct themselves with moderation in their doings according to the custom of the country, it will be an act of the virtue of modesty, which sets a measure in gait, dress, and all outward movements, and it can be meritorious, if it is with grace. Likewise if she does this in order to please her husband fittingly, whom she has, or whom she ought to take, and so that she may be set apart from other women. But if they wear ornaments more costly than befits them, it will be arrogance, or even something deformed by the vice of lust, if they do it to provoke desire toward themselves.”

“The prophet's business was to show all sorts of people what they had contributed to the national guilt and what share they must expect in the national judgments that were coming. Here he reproves and warns the daughters of Zion, tells the ladies of their faults; and Moses, in the law, having denounced God's wrath against the tender and delicate woman (the prophets being a comment upon the law, Deu 28:56), he here tells them how they shall smart by the calamities that are coming upon them. Observe, I. The sin charged upon the daughters of Zion, Isa 3:16. The prophet expressly vouches God's authority for what he said. lest it should be thought it was unbecoming in him to take notice of such things, and should be resented by the ladies: The Lord saith it. "Whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, let them know that God takes notice of, and is much displeased with, the folly and vanity of proud women, and his law takes cognizance even of their dress." Two things that here stand indicted for - haughtiness and wantonness, directly contrary to that modesty, shamefacedness, and sobriety, with which women ought to adorn themselves, Ti1 2:9. They discovered the disposition of their mind by their gait and gesture, and the lightness of their carriage. They are haughty, for they walk with stretched-forth necks, that they may seem tall, or, as thinking nobody good enough to speak to them or to receive a look or a smile from them. Their eyes are wanton, deceiving (so the word is); with their amorous glances they draw men into their snares. They affect a formal starched way of going, that people may look at them, and admire them, and know they have been at the dancing-school, and have learned the minuet-step. They go mincing, or nicely tripping, not willing to set so much as the sole of their foot to the ground, for tenderness and delicacy. They make a tinkling with their feet, having, as some think, chains, or little bells, upon their shoes, that made a noise: they go as if they were fettered (so some read it), like a horse tramelled, that he may learn to pace. Thus Agag came delicately, Sa1 15:32. Such a nice affected mien is not only a force upon that which is natural, and ridiculous before men, men of sense; but as it is an evidence of a vain mind, it is offensive to God. And two things aggravated it here: 1. That these were the daughters of Zion, the holy mountain, who should have behaved with the gravity that becomes women professing godliness. 2. That it should seem, by the connexion, they were the wives and daughters of the princes who spoiled and oppressed the poor (Isa 3:14, Isa 3:15) that they might maintain the pride and luxury of their families. II. The punishments threatened for this sin; and they answer the sin as face answers to face in a glass, Isa 3:17, Isa 3:18. 1. They walked with stretched-forth necks, but God will smite with a scab the crown of their head, which shall lower their crests, and make them ashamed to show their heads, being obliged by it to cut off their hair. Note, Loathsome diseases are often sent as the just punishment of pride, and are sometimes the immediate effect of lewdness, the flesh and the body being consumed by it. 2. They cared not what they laid out in furnishing themselves with great variety of fine clothes; but God will reduce them to such poverty and distress that they shall not have clothes sufficient to cover their nakedness, but their uncomeliness shall be exposed through their rags. 3. They were extremely fond and proud of their ornaments; but God will strip them of those ornaments, when their houses shall be plundered, their treasures rifled, and they themselves led into captivity. The prophet here specifies many of the ornaments which they used as particularly as if he had been the keeper of their wardrobe or had attended them in their dressing-room. It is not at all material to enquire what sort of ornaments these respectively were and whether the translations rightly express the original words; perhaps 100 years hence the names of some of the ornaments that are now in use in our own land will be as little understood as some of those here mentioned now are. Fashions alter, and so do the names of them; and yet the mention of them is not in vain, but is designed to expose the folly of the daughters of Zion; for, (1.) Many of these things, we may suppose, were very odd and ridiculous, and, if they had not been in fashion, would have been hooted at. They were fitter to be toys for children to play with than ornaments for grown people to go to Mount Zion in. (2.) Those things that were decent and convenient, as the linen, the hoods, and the veils, needed not be provided in such abundance and variety. It is necessary to have apparel and proper that all should have it according to their rank; but what occasion was there for so many changeable suits of apparel (Isa 3:22), that they might not be seen two days together in the same suit? "They must have (as the homily against excess of apparel speaks) one gown for the day, another for the night - one long, another short - one for the working day, another for the holy-day - one of this colour, another of that colour - one of cloth, another of silk or damask - one dress afore dinner, another after - one of the Spanish fashion, another Turkey - and never content with sufficient." All this, as it is an evidence of pride and vain curiosity, so must needs spend a great deal in gratifying a base lust that ought to be laid out in works of piety and charity; and it is well if poor tenants be not racked, or poor creditors defrauded to support it. (3.) The enumeration of these things intimates what care they were in about them, how much their hearts were upon them, what an exact account they kept of them, how nice and critical they were about them, how insatiable their desire was of them, and how much of their comfort was bound up in them. A maid could forget none of these ornaments, though they were ever so many (Jer 2:32), but they would report them as readily, and talk of them with as much pleasure, as if they had been things of the greatest moment. The prophet did not speak of these things as in themselves sinful (they might lawfully be had and used), but as things which they were proud of and should therefore be deprived of. III. They were very nice and curious about their clothes; but God would make those bodies of theirs, which were at such expense to beautify and make easy, a reproach and burden to them (Isa 3:24): Instead of sweet smell (those tablets, or boxes, of perfume, houses of the soul or breath, as they are called, Isa 3:20, margin) there shall be stink, garments grown filthy with being long worn, or from some loathsome disease or plasters for the cure of it. Instead of a rich embroidered girdle used to make the clothes sit tight, there shall be a rent, a rending of the clothes for grief, or old rotten clothes rent into rags. Instead of well-set hair, curiously plaited and powdered, there shall be baldness, the hair being plucked off or shaven, as was usual in times of great affliction (Isa 15:2; Jer 16:6), or in great servitude, Eze 29:18. Instead of a stomacher, or a scarf or sash, there shall be a girding of sackcloth, in token of deep humiliation; and burning instead of beauty. Those that had a good complexion, and were proud of it, when they are carried into captivity shall be tanned and sun-burnt; and it is observed that the best faces are soonest injured by the weather. From all this let us learn, 1. Not to be nice and curious about our apparel, not to affect that which is gay and costly, nor to be proud of it. 2. Not to be secure in the enjoyment of any of the delights of sense, because we know not how soon we may be stripped of them, nor what straits we may be reduced to. IV. They designed by these ornaments to charm the gentlemen, and win their affections (Pro 7:16, Pro 7:17), but there shall be none to be charmed by them (Isa 3:25): Thy men shall fall by the sword, and the mighty in the war, The fire shall consume them, and then the maidens shall not be given in marriage; as it is, Psa 78:63. When the sword comes with commission the mighty commonly fall first by it, because they are most forward to venture. And, when Zion's guards are cut off, no marvel that Zion's gates lament and mourn (Isa 3:26), the enemies having made themselves masters of them; and the city itself, being desolate, being emptied or swept, shall sit upon the ground like a disconsolate widow. If sin be harboured within the walls, lamentation and mourning are near the gates.”

“Moreover the Lord saith, because the daughters of Zion are haughty,.... The wives or daughters of the rulers, princes, or elders; these were "high", affected to look high and tall, and therefore stretched out their necks, and walked on tiptoes; or "were lifted up" with pride, which is the root and source of all the vanity expressed in their gesture and ornaments. And walk with stretched forth necks or "throats"; looking high, and above others, and upon them with contempt and disdain; this is a sign of pride; see Psa 75:5, and wanton eyes; either winking with their eyes to others to follow them to their houses, as Kimchi interprets it; so Jarchi thinks it is expressive of their looks, as we, of wanton looks; and the Septuagint render it, "with winking of eyes"; so the Syriac and Arabic versions, or painting their eyes; so the Targum, "they walk with their eyes painted,'' as Jezebel painted her face, Kg2 9:30 in the Talmudic language, is used (q) for vermilion, or red lead, with which they painted their eyes, as they did also with (r) black lead. Walking and mincing as they go: jumping and dancing as children in the streets; or using the like gesture as those who beat upon a drum; or walking in even paces, in a soft and delicate manner; all which senses Kimchi (s) observes in the word. The whole is rendered by the Septuagint, "and in the walk of their feet", or as they walk "together, drawing their coats" upon the ground after them, which makes a noise. The Targum is, "with hair rolled up", bound up and plaited. And making a tinkling with their feet; having a sort of bells hanging on them, as Kimchi thinks, which made a noise as they went. Of the word here used, and the sense of it; see Gill on Isa 3:18. The Targum renders it, "provoking with their feet"; either the lust of men; or the anger of the Lord, as the Syriac version; the Septuagint and Arabic versions, "playing with the feet". (q) T. Bab. Roshhashanah, fol. 18. 1. Misn. Sabbat. c. 12. sect. 4. Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. (r) Targum on 2 Kings ix. 30. (s) Sepher Shorash. rad.”

“Pace. Protestants, “and making a tinkling with their feet,” (Haydock) by means of little rings round their legs. (Calmet) Stridore ad se juvenes vocat. (St. Jerome, ep. xlvii.) — The daughters of Sion, denote all the cities and villages which were defaced by the Chaldeans, and still more by the Romans, forty years after Christ. (St. Jerome) (Worthington)”

“Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, &c.--Luxury had become great in Uzziah's prosperous reign (Ch2 26:5). stretched forth--proudly elevated (Psa 75:5). wanton--rather, "making the eyes to glance about," namely, wantonly (Pro 6:13) [MAURER]. But LOWTH, "falsely setting off the eyes with paint." Women's eyelids in the East are often colored with stibium, or powder of lead (see on Job 42:14; Jer 4:30, Margin). mincing--tripping with short steps. tinkling--with their ankle-rings on both feet, joined by small chains, which sound as they walk, and compel them to take short steps; sometimes little bells were attached (Isa 3:18, Isa 3:20).”

“But notwithstanding the dramatic vividness with which the prophet pictures to himself this scene of judgment, he is obliged to break off at the very beginning of his description, because another word of Jehovah comes upon him. This applies to the women of Jerusalem, whose authority, at the time when Isaiah prophesied, was no less influential than that of their husbands who had forgotten their calling. "Jehovah hath spoken: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk about with extended throat, and blinking with the eyes, walk about with tripping gait, and tinkle with their foot-ornaments: the Lord of all makes the crown of the daughters of Zion scabbed, and Jehovah will uncover their shame." Their inward pride (gâbah, as in Eze 16:50; cf., Zep 3:11) shows itself outwardly. They walk with extended throat, i.e., bending the neck back, trying to make themselves taller than they are, because they think themselves so great. The Keri substitutes the more usual form, נטוּית; but Isaiah in all probability intentionally made use of the rarer and ruder form netuvoth, since such a form really existed (Sa1 25:18), as well as the singular nâtu for nâtui (Job 15:22; Job 41:25 : Ges. 75, Anm. 5). They also went winking the eyes (mesakkeroth, for which we frequently find the erratum mesakkeroth), i.e., casting voluptuous and amatory glances with affected innocence (νεύματα ὀφθαλμῶν, lxx). "Winking:" sâkar is not used in the sense of fucare (Targ. b. Sabbath 62b, Jome 9b, Luther) - which is all the more inappropriate, because blackening the eyelids with powder of antimony was regarded in the East of the Old Testament as indispensable to female beauty - but in the sense of nictare (lxx, Vulg., Syr., syn. remaz, cf., sekar, Syr. to squint; Targ. = shâzaph, Job 20:9). Compare also the talmudic saying: God did not create woman out of Adam's ear, that she might be no eavesdropper (tsaithânith), nor out of Adam's eyes, that she might be no winker (sakrânith). (Note: Also b. Sota 47b: "Since women have multiplied with extended necks and winking eyes, the number of cases has also multiplied in which it has been necessary to resort to the curse water (Num 5:18)." In fact, this increased to such an extent, that Johanan ben Zakkai, the pupil of Hillel, abolished the ordeal (divine-verdict) of the Sota (the woman suspected of adultery) altogether. The people of his time were altogether an adulterous generation.) The third was, that they walked incedendo et trepidando. The second inf. abs. is in this case, as in most others, the one which gives the distinct tone, whilst the other serves to keep before the eye the occurrence indicated in its finite verb (Ges. 131, 3). They walk about tripping (tâphop, a wide-spread onomato-poetic word), i.e., taking short steps, just putting the heel of one foot against the toe of the other (as the Talmud explains it). Luther renders it, "they walk along and waggle" (schwnzen, i.e., Clunibus agitatis). The rendering is suitable, but incorrect. They could only take short steps, because of the chains by which the costly foot-rings (achâsim ) worn above their ankles were connected together. These chains, which were probably ornamented with bells, as is sometimes the case now in the East, they used to tinkle as they walked: they made an ankle-tinkling with their feet, setting their feet down in such a manner that these ankle-rings knocked against each other. The writing beraglēhem (masc.) for beraglēhen (fem.) is probably not an unintentional synallage gen.: they were not modest virgines, but cold, masculine viragines, so that they themselves were a synallage generis. Nevertheless they tripped along. Tripping is a child's step. Nevertheless they tripped along. Tripping is a child's step. Although well versed in sin and old in years, the women of Jerusalem tried to maintain a youthful, childlike appearance. They therefore tripped along with short, childish steps. The women of the Mohammedan East still take pleasure in such coquettish tinklings, although they are forbidden by the Koran, just as the women of Jerusalem did in the days of Isaiah. The attractive influence of natural charms, especially when heightened by luxurious art, is very great; but the prophet is blind to all this splendour, and seeing nothing but the corruption within, foretells to these rich and distinguished women a foul and by no means aesthetic fate. The Sovereign Ruler of all would smite the crown of their head, from which long hair was now flowing, with scab (v'sippach, a progressive preterite with Vav apodosis, a denom. verb from sappachath, the scurf which adheres to the skin: see at Hab 2:15); and Jehovah would uncover their nakedness, by giving them up to violation and abuse at the hands of coarse and barbarous foes - the greatest possible disgrace in the eyes of a woman, who covers herself as carefully as she can in the presence of any stranger (Isa 47:3; Nah 3:5; Jer 13:22; Eze 16:37).”