“In that day,
Yahweh will take away
The finery of the anklets,
The headbands,
The crescents,
The pendants,
The bracelets,
The scarves,
The headdresses,
The armlets,
The sashes,
The perfume boxes,
The amulets,
The signet rings,
The nose rings,
The festal robes,
The mantles,
The cloaks,
The handbags,
The garments of gauze,
The linen garments,
The turbans,
And the veils.
Instead of perfume
There will be rottenness.
Instead of a girdle,
There will be a rope.
Instead of well-set hair,
There will be baldness.
Instead of a rich robe,
There will be a girding of sackcloth.
Instead of beauty,
There will be shame.”
One of the ways that Yahweh reacted to the proud Jerusalem women was to take away their beauty items. What is surprising to me is to see how many different items there were. Some are common, but some are also exotic. The list includes the following items: anklets, headbands, crescents, pendants, bracelets, scarves, headdresses, armlets, sashes, perfume boxes, amulets, signet rings, nose rings, festal robes, mantles, cloaks, handbags, gauze, linens, turbans, and veils. There would be reversal of some things, like rottenness instead of perfume, rope instead of fine girdles, baldness instead of fine hair, sackcloth instead of rich robes, and shame instead of beauty. I do not know how these women reacted to this oracle.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 