Lexical Summary akas: To ensnare, to lure, to entice Original Word: עָכַס Strong's Exhaustive Concordance make a tinkling ornament, put on ankletsA primitive root; properly, to tie, specifically, with fetters; but used only as denominative from ekec; to put on anklets -- make a tinkling ornament. see HEBREW ekec NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origindenominative verb from ekes Definition to shake bangles, rattle, tinkle NASB Translation tinkle the bangles (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [עָכַס] verb denominative Pi`el shake bangles, rattle, tinkle; — Imperfect3feminine plural תְּעַכַּסְנָה וּבְרַגְלֵיהֶם Isaiah 3:16 and with their feet they rattle their bangles. Topical Lexicon Root Idea and Semantic Range עָכַס portrays deliberate, rhythmic movement that makes small metallic ornaments jingle. It is not merely walking but an intentional, attention-getting sway meant to broadcast wealth and allure. Historical Background In the eighth century B.C., Judah enjoyed a measure of prosperity under Uzziah and Jotham, but social inequity and spiritual decline grew. Excavations from contemporary strata in Jerusalem and Lachish have yielded bronze and silver anklets strung with tiny bells. Such jewelry had long been worn from Egypt to Mesopotamia both as status symbols and as supposed talismans warding off evil spirits. By Isaiah’s day, these adornments had become part of an ostentatious lifestyle that signaled self-indulgence rather than covenant faithfulness. Context in Isaiah Isaiah 3:16–24 places the sole biblical occurrence of עָכַס within a wider oracle of judgment on Jerusalem’s elite women: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, walking with outstretched necks and seductive eyes, with mincing steps and jingling ornaments on their feet, the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the daughters of Zion…” (Isaiah 3:16–17). The prophet contrasts their outward glitter with the impending humiliation. The tinkling created by עָכַס becomes the sonic emblem of pride that God will silence. Immediately following, twenty-one separate items of luxury (verses 18–23) are listed before the final reversal—stench, rope, sackcloth, and branding (verse 24). The word therefore sits at the pivot between vanity and vengeance, turning attention from glamour to judgment. Theological and Moral Implications 1. Pride before God’s face: The jingle of anklets symbolises an inner posture of self-exaltation (Proverbs 16:18). Connections with Other Biblical Passages • Ezekiel 16 portrays Jerusalem as an adorned bride who turns her jewelry into instruments of harlotry. Archaeological and Cultural Notes Clay female figurines from Samaria and ivory carvings from Nimrud depict anklets identical to those in Isaiah’s description. Classical writers likewise note the practice: Herodotus reports Egyptian women wearing ankle rings with bells for festivals. Such finds corroborate the historical realism of Isaiah’s imagery and reveal how easily cultural fashions infiltrated Israelite society. Practical Application for Ministry • Call to examine motives behind appearance and lifestyle choices. Summary עָכַס surfaces only once, yet its lone appearance amplifies a timeless admonition: when God’s people trade humble obedience for ostentatious self-advertisement, the outward sparkle becomes the prelude to divine discipline. The tinkling anklet thus echoes across Scripture as a warning bell calling the church to holiness, modesty, and wholehearted devotion to the Lord. Forms and Transliterations תְּעַכַּֽסְנָה׃ תעכסנה׃ tə‘akkasnāh tə·‘ak·kas·nāh teakKasnahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 3:16 HEB: תֵּלַ֔כְנָה וּבְרַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם תְּעַכַּֽסְנָה׃ NAS: along with mincing steps And tinkle the bangles on their feet, KJV: [as] they go, and making a tinkling with their feet: INT: and walk their feet and tinkle 1 Occurrence |
    |