Isaiah 3:18-26 - Instead of fragrance there will be a stench

3:18-23

There is now a detailed list of the things that would be taken away. Now parts of society like to pretend that there is no difference between men and women, or to say that there is a difference is misogynistic or patriarchal. But there are differences and to pretend otherwise is to be blind to reality. One of those differences is that on average women will pay a lot more attention to clothes and jewellery than a man would, but all this superficial beauty will be taken away.

3:24

Isaiah continues the diatribe with a litany of the “exchange” that will take place. Stench instead of fragrance, rope instead of a sash, baldness in place of beautiful hair, sackcloth instead of fine clothes, branding instead of beauty. The haughty women, the “beautiful people” of Isaiah’s day, would become utterly abject, dragged off into captivity.

3:25,26

Back to the men now. There would be defeat for the armies of Judah, many men falling in battle. Zion would lament for her dilapidated and broken state. She will have nothing to do but lament the way in which she has fallen.