Isaiah 3:16
New International Version
The LORD says, “The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, strutting along with swaying hips, with ornaments jingling on their ankles.

New Living Translation
The LORD says, “Beautiful Zion is haughty: craning her elegant neck, flirting with her eyes, walking with dainty steps, tinkling her ankle bracelets.

English Standard Version
The LORD said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet,

Berean Standard Bible
The LORD also says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty—walking with heads held high and wanton eyes, prancing and skipping as they go, jingling the bracelets on their ankles—

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
Moreover the LORD says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, And walk with outstretched necks And wanton eyes, Walking and mincing as they go, Making a jingling with their feet,

New American Standard Bible
Moreover, the LORD said, “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty And walk with heads held high and seductive eyes, And go along with mincing steps And jingle the anklets on their feet,

NASB 1995
Moreover, the LORD said, “Because the daughters of Zion are proud And walk with heads held high and seductive eyes, And go along with mincing steps And tinkle the bangles on their feet,

NASB 1977
Moreover, the LORD said, “Because the daughters of Zion are proud, And walk with heads held high and seductive eyes, And go along with mincing steps, And tinkle the bangles on their feet,

Legacy Standard Bible
Moreover, Yahweh said, “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty And walk with outstretched necks and seductive eyes, And go along with mincing steps And tinkle the bangles on their feet,

Amplified Bible
Moreover, the LORD said, “Because the daughters of Zion are proud And walk with outstretched necks and seductive (flirtatious, alluring) eyes, And trip along with mincing steps and an affected gait And walk with jingling anklets on their feet,

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD also says: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, walking with heads held high and seductive eyes, prancing along, jingling their ankle bracelets,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD also says: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, walking with heads held high and seductive eyes, going along with prancing steps, jingling their ankle bracelets,

American Standard Version
Moreover 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;

Contemporary English Version
The LORD says: The women of Jerusalem are proud and strut around, winking shamelessly. They wear anklets that jingle and call attention to the way they walk.

English Revised Version
Moreover the LORD said, 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:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD adds, "The women of Zion are arrogant. They walk with their noses in the air, making seductive glances, taking short little steps, jingling the ankle bracelets on their feet."

Good News Translation
The LORD said, "Look how proud the women of Jerusalem are! They walk along with their noses in the air. They are always flirting. They take dainty little steps, and the bracelets on their ankles jingle.

International Standard Version
The LORD also says: "Because Zion's women are so haughty, and walk with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, prancing along as they walk, and making tinkling noises with their ankle bracelets,

Majority Standard Bible
The LORD also says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty—walking with heads held high and wanton eyes, prancing and skipping as they go, jingling the bracelets on their ankles—

NET Bible
The LORD says, "The women of Zion are proud. They walk with their heads high and flirt with their eyes. They skip along and the jewelry on their ankles jingles.

New Heart English Bible
Moreover the LORD said, "Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with outstretched necks and flirting eyes, walking to trip as they go, jingling ornaments on their feet;

Webster's Bible Translation
Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with extended necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:

World English Bible
Moreover Yahweh said, “Because the daughters of Zion are arrogant, and walk with outstretched necks and flirting eyes, walking daintily as they go, jingling ornaments on their feet;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Because that daughters of Zion have been haughty, "" And they walk stretching out the neck, "" And deceiving [with] the eyes, "" They go walking and mincing, "" And they make a jingling with their feet,

Young's Literal Translation
Because that daughters of Zion have been haughty, And they walk stretching out the neck, And deceiving with the eyes, Walking and mincing they go, And with their feet they make a tinkling,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah will say, Because the daughters of Zion were lifted up, and they will go extending the neck and ogling their eyes, going and tripping their going, and binding back their feet:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion have been lifted up, and have walked with extended necks and winking eyes, because they have continued on, walking noisily and advancing with a pretentious stride,

New American Bible
The LORD said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with necks outstretched, Ogling and mincing as they go, their anklets tinkling with every step,

New Revised Standard Version
The LORD said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Because the daughters of Zion have become haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks, and wanton eyes, making a tinkling with their feet, and thus provoking the LORD;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
For the daughters of Zion are lifted up and walk with a high neck and with winking of the eyes. They are walking and shaking wildly with their legs and are excited
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Moreover the LORD said: 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;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thus saith the Lord, Because the daughters of Sion are haughty, and have walked with an outstretched neck, and with winking of the eyes, and motion of the feet, at the same time drawing their garments in trains, and at the same time sporting with their feet:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Warning to Jerusalem
16The LORD also says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty— walking with heads held high and wanton eyes, prancing and skipping as they go, jingling the bracelets on their ankles— 17the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will make their foreheads bare.”…

Cross References
1 Peter 3:3-4
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, / but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.

Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: / haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, / a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, ...

1 Timothy 2:9-10
Likewise, I want the women to adorn themselves with respectable apparel, with modesty, and with self-control, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, / but with good deeds, as is proper for women who profess to worship God.

Ezekiel 16:49-50
Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and complacent; they did not help the poor and needy. / Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them, as you have seen.

1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.

Zephaniah 1:8-9
“On the Day of the LORD’s sacrifice I will punish the princes, the sons of the king, and all who are dressed in foreign apparel. / On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, who fill the house of their master with violence and deceit.

James 4:6
But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Proverbs 31:30
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Jeremiah 4:30
And you, O devastated one, what will you do, though you dress yourself in scarlet, though you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, though you enlarge your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself in vain; your lovers despise you; they want to take your life.

Matthew 23:5
All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.

1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”

1 Corinthians 11:5-6
And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is just as if her head were shaved. / If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off. And if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head.

1 Timothy 5:6
But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive.

Ezekiel 13:18-23
and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their wrists and make veils for the heads of people of every height, in order to ensnare their souls. Will you ensnare the souls of My people but preserve your own? / You have profaned Me among My people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to My people who would listen, you have killed those who should not have died and spared those who should not have lived. / Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: See, I am against the magic charms with which you ensnare souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms. So I will free the souls you have ensnared like birds. ...

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; / you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.


Treasury of Scripture

Moreover the LORD said, 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:

the daughters

Isaiah 1:8
And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

Isaiah 4:4
When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.

Matthew 21:5
Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

are haughty

Isaiah 24:4
The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

Isaiah 32:9-11
Rise up, ye women that are at ease; hear my voice, ye careless daughters; give ear unto my speech…

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

wanton eyes.

mincing.

Jump to Previous
Ankles Daughters Extended Eyes Feet Forth Full Haughty Heads Held High Making Moreover Necks Ornaments Outstretched Pride Proud Seductive Sounding Steps Stretched Stretched-Out Stretching Tinkling Trip Walk Walking Wandering Wanton Zion
Jump to Next
Ankles Daughters Extended Eyes Feet Forth Full Haughty Heads Held High Making Moreover Necks Ornaments Outstretched Pride Proud Seductive Sounding Steps Stretched Stretched-Out Stretching Tinkling Trip Walk Walking Wandering Wanton Zion
Isaiah 3
1. The great calamities which come by sin
10. The different rewards of the righteous and wicked
12. The oppression and covetousness of the rulers
16. The judgments which shall be for the pride of the women
25. The general desolation














The LORD also says
This phrase introduces a direct declaration from God, emphasizing His authority and the seriousness of the message. In Hebrew, "Yahweh" is the covenant name of God, signifying His eternal presence and faithfulness. This introduction sets the tone for divine judgment and correction, reminding the audience of God's sovereignty and His active role in addressing the moral and spiritual state of His people.

Because the daughters of Zion
"Daughters of Zion" refers to the women of Jerusalem, representing the people of Israel. Zion is often used in Scripture to denote the city of Jerusalem, the spiritual heart of the nation. This phrase highlights the specific focus on the women, who are seen as embodying the cultural and spiritual condition of the society. Historically, the behavior of women in a community often reflected broader societal values and priorities.

are haughty
The Hebrew word for "haughty" conveys arrogance and pride. This attitude is condemned throughout Scripture as it reflects a heart that is self-reliant and dismissive of God's authority. Pride is often the root of many sins, leading individuals away from humility and dependence on God. In the context of Isaiah, this pride is a symptom of a deeper spiritual malaise affecting the nation.

walking with outstretched necks
This imagery suggests a posture of arrogance and self-importance. In ancient cultures, physical demeanor was a reflection of one's inner attitude. An "outstretched neck" symbolizes a defiant and unyielding spirit, unwilling to submit to God's authority. This behavior is indicative of a society that has lost its reverence for God and is consumed with self-glorification.

flirting with their eyes
The act of "flirting with their eyes" implies seductive and manipulative behavior. In biblical times, the eyes were often seen as windows to the soul, revealing one's true intentions and desires. This phrase suggests a moral and spiritual corruption, where the women use their allure to manipulate and control, rather than to honor God and uphold righteousness.

prancing and skipping as they go
This description conveys a sense of frivolity and carelessness. The Hebrew words used here suggest a lighthearted and carefree attitude, oblivious to the seriousness of their actions and the impending judgment. This behavior reflects a society that prioritizes pleasure and self-indulgence over spiritual and moral integrity.

jingling their bracelets on their ankles
The jingling of bracelets is symbolic of vanity and ostentation. In ancient Israel, jewelry was often a sign of wealth and status. The emphasis on outward adornment reveals a preoccupation with appearances and materialism, rather than inner spiritual beauty. This focus on external adornment is criticized in Scripture as it often leads to idolatry and a neglect of one's relationship with God.

(16) Because the daughters of Zion . . .--From the princes that worked evil, Isaiah turns to their wives, sisters, concubines, who were showing themselves degenerate daughters of Sarah and Rebecca. A like denunciation meets us in Isaiah 32:9-12, but this is without a parallel in the minuteness of its detail. It is as though the prophet had gone into the boudoir of one of the leaders of the fashions of Jerusalem, and taken an inventory of what he found there. Possibly we may trace the influence of the prophetess-wife of Isaiah (Isaiah 8:3), seeking to recall those of her own sex to a higher life. We note, on a smaller scale, a like teaching in the married apostle (1Peter 3:3-4). Twenty-one distinct articles are mentioned. Their names for the most part appear to have a foreign stamp on them. Then, as at other times, luxury imported its novelties, and the women of Judah took up the fashions of those of Tyre or Damascus or Philistia. It is not without interest to compare the protests of Juvenal (Sat. vi.), Dante (Purgat. xxiii. 106-111), Chrysostom, and Savonarola against like evils.

With stretched forth necks . . .--The corruption which the prophet paints showed itself then, as it has done in later times, in the adoption by the decent classes of society of the gait and glances of the harlots of alien birth (comp. Proverbs 7:9-21), with, perhaps, the difference of a certain affectation of coyness.

Making a tinkling with their feet.--Small silver bells were fastened on the ankles, and so the beauties of Jerusalem carried, as it were, their music with them. The custom still exists in Syria and Arabia, though forbidden by the Koran. English nursery rhymes seem to recall a time when it was not unknown in Western Europe.

Verse 16. - The daughters of Zion. It is over-fanciful to go beyond the plain meaning of the words here, and suppose allegory. "The daughters of Zion" are the female inhabitants of Jerusalem. Are haughty; or, proud - like the men (Isaiah 2:11, 12, 17). Walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes. Mr. Cheyne translates, "ogling eyes." Both actions indicate the desire to attract men's attention, and are shameless and immodest. Walking and mincing as they go; i.e. taking short steps in an affectedly childish way. Making a tinkling with their feet. This meaning is generally accepted, though not very certain. It has been suggested that the anklets which they wore (ver. 18) had silver bells attached to them.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The LORD
יְהוָ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH

says,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Because
יַ֚עַן (ya·‘an)
Adverb
Strong's 3282: Heed, purpose, to indicate the reason, cause

the daughters
בְּנ֣וֹת (bə·nō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 1323: A daughter

of Zion
צִיּ֔וֹן (ṣî·yō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6726: Zion -- a mountain in Jerusalem, also a name for Jerusalem

are haughty—
גָֽבְהוּ֙ (ḡā·ḇə·hū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1361: To soar, be lofty, to be haughty

walking
וַתֵּלַ֙כְנָה֙ (wat·tê·laḵ·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

with heads
גָּר֔וֹן (gā·rō·wn)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1627: Neck, throat

held high
נְטוּי֣וֹת (nə·ṭū·yō·wṯ)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine plural
Strong's 5186: To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend

and wanton
וּֽמְשַׂקְּר֖וֹת (ū·mə·śaq·qə·rō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural
Strong's 8265: To ogle, blink coquettishly

eyes,
עֵינָ֑יִם (‘ê·nā·yim)
Noun - cd
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

prancing
הָל֤וֹךְ (hā·lō·wḵ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

and skipping
וְטָפֹף֙ (wə·ṭā·p̄ōp̄)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 2952: To trip, take small quick steps

as they go,
תֵּלַ֔כְנָה (tê·laḵ·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

jingling
תְּעַכַּֽסְנָה׃ (tə·‘ak·kas·nāh)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 5913: To shake bangles, rattle, tinkle

the bracelets on their ankles—
וּבְרַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם (ū·ḇə·raḡ·lê·hem)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - fdc | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7272: A foot, a step, the pudenda


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 3:16 Moreover Yahweh said Because the daughters (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 3:15
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