Before a girl could take her turn to go in before King Xerxes, this is what she had to do: She had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments. That was six months with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and different kinds of makeup.
Isaiah 3:24 - Easy To Read Version \{Those women now have\} sweet smelling perfume, but \{at that time, their perfume will become\} moldy and rotten. \{Now they wear\} belts. But \{at that time, they will have only\} ropes to wear. Now they have their hair fixed fancy ways. But \{at that time\}, their heads will be shaved—they will have no hair. {\cf2\super [37]} \{Now they have\} party dresses. \{But at that time, they will have\} only clothes to show sadness. They have beauty marks on their faces now. \{But at that time, they will have another mark.\} It will be a mark burned into their skin. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 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. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition And it shall come to pass that instead of the sweet odor of spices there shall be the stench of rottenness; and instead of a girdle, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; and searing [of captives by the scorching heat] instead of beauty. American Standard Version (1901) And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet spices there shall be rottenness; and instead of a girdle, a rope; and instead of well set hair, baldness; and instead of a robe, a girding of sackcloth; branding instead of beauty. Common English Bible Instead of perfume there will be a disgusting odor; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of styled hair, shaved heads; instead of expensive clothes, rags as mourning clothes; instead of beauty, shame. Catholic Public Domain Version And in place of a sweet fragrance, there will be stench. And in place of a belt, there will be a rope. And in place of stylish hair, there will be baldness. And in place of a blouse, there will be haircloth. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version And instead of a sweet smell, there shall be stench: and instead of a girdle, a cord. And instead of curled hair, baldness: and instead of a stomacher, haircloth. |
Before a girl could take her turn to go in before King Xerxes, this is what she had to do: She had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments. That was six months with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and different kinds of makeup.
“I am very sad,\par so I wear these clothes of sadness.\par I sit here in the dust and ashes,\par and I feel defeated.\par
She is a very good businesswoman.\par She makes clothes and belts,\par and sells them to businessmen.\par
I put perfume on my bed. The myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon smell wonderful!
The king’s family and the people\par of Dibon {\cf2\super [158]} \par are going to the places of worship {\cf2\super [159]} to cry.\par The people of Moab are crying\par for Nebo {\cf2\super [160]} and Medeba. {\cf2\super [161]} \par The people shaved their heads and beards\par \{to show they are sad\}.\par
Everywhere in Moab,\par on the housetops and in the streets,\par people are wearing black clothes,\par people are crying.\par
So, my Master, the Lord All-Powerful, will tell the people to cry and be sad \{for their dead friends\}. People will shave their heads and wear clothes of sadness.
The Lord will wash away the blood {\cf2\super [39]} from the women of Zion. {\cf2\super [40]} The Lord will wash all the blood out of Jerusalem. God will use the spirit of justice \{and judge fairly\}. And he will use the spirit of burning, \{and make everything pure\}.
You use your oils and perfumes\par to look nice for Molech. {\cf2\super [444]} \par You sent your messengers to faraway lands.\par And this will bring you down to Sheol,\par \{the place of death\}.\par
So put on sackcloth {\cf2\super [23]} and cry out loud!\par Why? Because the Lord is angry at us.”\par
Everyone has a shaved head. Everyone’s beard is cut off. Everyone’s hands are cut and bleeding. {\cf2\super [389]} Everyone is wearing their clothes of sadness around their waists.
“People in Heshbon, cry!\par Why? Because the town of Ai is destroyed.\par Women in Rabbah of Ammon, cry!\par Put on your clothes of sadness and cry.\par Run to the city for safety.\par Why? \{Because the enemy is coming.\}\par They take away the god, Milcom. {\cf2\super [397]} \par And they will take away Milcom’s\par priests and officials.\par
My people, put on sackcloth {\cf2\super [47]} ,\par and roll in the ashes. {\cf2\super [48]} \par Cry loud for the dead people.\par Cry like you lost an only son.\par Do these things because the destroyer\par will come against us very quickly.\par
The elders of Zion {\cf2\super [16]} sit on the ground.\par They sit on the ground and are quiet.\par They pour dust on their heads.\par They put on sackcloth. {\cf2\super [17]} \par The young women of Jerusalem\par bow their heads to the ground in sorrow.\par
They will shave their heads for you.\par They will put on clothes of sadness.\par They will cry for you like someone crying\par for a person that died.\par
They will wear clothes of sadness and be covered with fear. You will see the shame on every face. They will shave their heads \{to show their sadness\}.
Cry like the young woman\par that was ready to be married,\par and her husband-to-be was killed.\par
If you do that, then I will cause terrible things to happen to you. I will cause you to have disease and fever. They will destroy your eyes and take away your life. You will not have success when you plant your seed. And your enemies will eat your crops!
I will change your holidays\par into days of crying for the dead.\par All your songs will be songs of sadness\par for dead people.\par I will put clothes of sadness on everyone.\par I will make every head bald. {\cf2\super [104]} \par I will make it like heavy crying\par for an only son that has died.\par It will be a very bitter end.”\par
So cut off your hair,\par make yourself bald. {\cf2\super [28]} \par Why? Because \{you will cry for\}\par the children you love.\par Make yourself bald like an eagle {\cf2\super [29]} \par \{and show your sadness\}.\par Why? Because your children\par will be taken away from you.\par
The Lord will punish you with diseases, fever, and swelling. The Lord will send you terrible heat and you will have no rain. Your crops will die from the heat and disease. [182] All these bad things will happen until you are destroyed!
They will become thin from hunger. Terrible diseases will destroy them. I will send wild animals against them. Poisonous snakes and lizards will bite them.
It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful.
And I will give power to my two witnesses. And they will prophesy {\cf2\super [82]} for 1,260 days. They will be dressed in sackcloth. {\cf2\super [83]} ”
The people were burned by the great heat. Those people cursed the name of God. God is the One who had control over these troubles. But the people refused to change their hearts and lives and give glory to God.
“The rulers of the earth who sinned sexually with her (Babylon) and shared her wealth will see the smoke from her burning. Then those rulers will cry and be sad because of her \{death\}.