The Haughtiness of the Daughters of Zion. Another revealing - TopicsExpress



          

The Haughtiness of the Daughters of Zion. Another revealing example of how extravagant clothes and adornments fostered pride and self-glorification rather than the worship of God, is found in Isaiah 3:16-26. This passage is most significant because it contains not only the most detailed descriptions of the various articles of jewelry and fine clothing worn by wealthy women in Jerusalem, but also the most scathing denunciation of the pride and haughtiness displayed through such articles. The context of the passage is the announcement of God’s judgment upon His people, which will result in their utter humiliation and destruction. The reason for the divine judgment is that the people have forsaken God: For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen; because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence (Is 3:8). Isaiah places the blame for the apostasy of the nation squarely on the negative influence both of its leaders and of its wealthy women. Regarding the leaders, the prophet says: O my people, your leaders mislead you, and confuse the course of your paths. . . . The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: ‘It is you who have devoured the vineyard, the spoil of the poor is in your houses’ (Is 3:12, 14). Instead of being the keepers of the vineyard, that is, the nation of Israel (Is 5:7; 1:8; 2:1, 3), the civil and religious leaders have devoured it by enriching themselves at the expense of the poor. Isaiah continues his scathing rebuke by shifting the focus from the negative influence of the leaders to that of the upperclass women, most likely the wives and daughters of the leaders themselves. Apparently the reason is, as Joseph Jensen points outs, that like Amos, Isaiah seems to see the women sometimes responsible for the oppression practiced by their men.4 This is suggested also by the comment that women rule over them (Is 3:12). The prophet, observes Carl Nagelsbach, condemns the prevalent excess of female luxury, not only as sinful in itself but also as a chief cause of the violence and social disorder previously mentioned, and therefore to be punished by disease, widowhood, and shameful exposure.5 Isaiah first describes how the daughters of Zion display their haughty pride: The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, tripping along with mincing steps, with ornaments jingling on their ankles. Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion; the Lord will make their scalps bald (Is 3:16-17, NIV). The inward pride of the women of Zion is shown outwardly by the way they walk, with head stretched sideways6 to see if they are admired, and with ogling eyes, mincing steps, and coy glances, seeking to attract attention to themselves by the tinkling sound of small bells fastened to their ankles.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 10:52:05 +0000

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