And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.

ISAIAH 3:24KJV
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Isaiah 3:24 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 3:24 mean?

Isaiah 3:24 describes a reversal of fortune for the women of Jerusalem, where their signs of beauty and luxury will be replaced by shame and suffering—sweet perfume will turn to a foul smell, fine belts to rags, styled hair to baldness, elegant clothing to sackcloth, and beauty to branding or scarring. This verse uses vivid contrasts to show how pride and extravagance will be humbled as a consequence of the people’s actions.

The prophet Isaiah is speaking God’s message to the people of Judah, warning them about coming judgment because of their arrogance and disregard for justice. In this verse, Isaiah focuses on the women of Jerusalem, who had enjoyed comfort and status, and he paints a picture of how their outward beauty and finery will be stripped away in the coming hardship. The verse is part of a larger passage describing the downfall of Jerusalem’s society due to its moral failures.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 3:24

  • "Sweet smell" (בֹּשֶׂם, bosem) and "stink" (מַק, maq): The word for "sweet smell" refers to perfume or fragrance, while "stink" means a foul odor. The contrast highlights a total reversal from luxury to disgrace.
  • "Girdle" (חֲגוֹרָה, chagorah) and "rent" (נִקָּה, niqqah): "Girdle" is a belt or sash, often decorative, while "rent" means something torn or in tatters, showing the loss of dignity.
  • "Well set hair" (מַעֲשֶׂה מִקְשֶׁה, ma'aseh miqsheh) and "baldness" (קָרְחָה, qorchah): The phrase for "well set hair" refers to carefully arranged hair, and "baldness" means the loss of hair, which in that culture was a sign of mourning or shame.
  • "Stomacher" (פְּתִיגִיל, p'tigil) and "girding of sackcloth" (מַחֲגוֹרֶת שָׂק, machagoret saq): "Stomacher" is an ornamental garment, while "sackcloth" was rough clothing worn in grief or repentance, emphasizing humiliation.

Why Isaiah 3:24 matters

  • Isaiah 3:24 clarifies that the judgment to come will reach even the most privileged and comfortable, not just the leaders or men, but also the women known for their wealth and beauty.
  • The verse emphasizes the complete reversal of fortune as a direct result of pride and injustice, making the consequences of moral failure concrete and visible.
  • Isaiah 3:24 connects to the wider passage by showing that societal breakdown affects every level, and that outward appearances cannot protect against the results of deeper spiritual problems.

Where else these words appear

“stink” Hebrew H4716 · used in 2 verses

  • Isaiah 5:24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

“girdle” Hebrew H2290 · used in 6 verses

  • Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
  • 2 Samuel 18:11 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.
  • 2 Kings 3:21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border.

“baldness” Hebrew H7144 · used in 11 verses

  • Leviticus 21:5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
  • Isaiah 22:12 And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:
  • Ezekiel 7:18 They shall also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads.

“beauty” Hebrew H3308 · used in 19 verses

  • Esther 1:11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
  • Lamentations 2:15 All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
  • Ezekiel 27:11 The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and the Gammadims were in thy towers: they hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they have made thy beauty perfect.