Isaiah 3 · Verse 20

Isaiah 3:20

The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,
Isaiah 3:20, King James Version

Isaiah 3:20 in other translations

BSBtheir headdresses, ankle chains, and sashes; their perfume bottles and charms;
WEBthe headdresses, the ankle chains, the sashes, the perfume containers, the charms,
ASVthe headtires, and the ankle chains, and the sashes, and the perfume-boxes, and the amulets;
YLTOf the bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, And of the bands, And of the perfume boxes, and the amulets,
DARBYthe head-dresses, and the stepping chains, and the girdles, and the scent-boxes, and the amulets;
BBEThe head-bands, and the arm-chains, and the worked bands, and the perfume-boxes, and the jewels with secret powers,
WebsterThe bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the head-bands, and the tablets, and the ear-rings,

What does Isaiah 3:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. bonnets--turbans. ornaments of the legs--the short stepping-chains from one foot to another, to give a measured gait; attached to the "tinkling ornaments" (Is 3:16). headbands--literally, "girdles." tablets--rather, "houses of the breath," that is, smelling boxes [Vulgate]. earrings--rather, amulets suspended from the neck or ears, with magic formulæ inscribed; the root means to "whisper" or "conjure."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 The tablets - The words בתי הנפש bottey hannephesh, which we translate tablets, and Bishop Lowth, perfume boxes, literally signify houses of the soul; and may refer to strong scented bottles used for pleasure and against fainting; similar to bottles with otto of roses, worn by the ladies of the East to the present time.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 3:16-26

The prophet reproves and warns the daughters of Zion of the sufferings coming upon them. Let them know that God notices the folly and vanity of proud women, even of their dress. The punishments threatened answered the sin. Loathsome diseases often are the just punishment of pride. It is not material to ask what sort of ornaments they wore; many of these things, if they had not been in fashion, would have been…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 3:16-26 →

Isaiah 3:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הַפְּאֵרִ֤יםha.pe.'e.Rimthe head-dressesH6287
וְהַצְּעָדוֹת֙ve.ha.tze.'a.dOtand the ankle chainsH6807
וְהַקִּשֻּׁרִ֔יםve.hak.ki.shu.Rimand the sashesH7196
וּבָתֵּ֥יu.va.Teiand [the] houses ofH1004
הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁha.Ne.feshthe breathH5315
וְהַלְּחָשִֽׁים\׃ve.ha.le.cha.Shimand the amuletsH3908

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 3:20

  • Exodus 39:28

    And a mitre of fine linen, and goodly bonnets of fine linen, and linen breeches of fine twined linen,

  • Hosea 2:13

    And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the Lord.

  • Genesis 35:4

    And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

  • Ezekiel 16:12

    And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.

  • Exodus 32:2

    And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
tablets. Heb. houses of the soul.Probably perfume boxes, as rendered by Bp. Lowth.
the earrings.{Lechashim,} probably amulets.
Ge 35:4; Ex 32:2; Eze 16:12; Ho 2:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 3:19

    The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,

  • Isaiah 3:20

    The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,

  • Isaiah 3:21

    The rings, and nose jewels,

Read all of Isaiah 3

Isaiah 3:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Las escofietas, y los atavíos de las piernas, los partidores del pelo, los pomitos de olor, y los zarcillos;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		les diadèmes, et les chaînettes des pieds, et les ceintures, et les boîtes de senteur, et les amulettes;
German
Elberfelder 1871		die Kopfbunde und die Schrittkettchen und die Gürtel und die Riechfläschchen und die Amulette;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et discriminalia, et periscelidas, et murenulas, et olfactoriola, et inaures,