Lexical Summary shabis: Restorer, Returner Original Word: שָׁבִיס Strong's Exhaustive Concordance caul From an unused root meaning to interweave; a netting for the hair -- caul. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a headband NASB Translation headbands (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שָׁבִיס noun [masculine] front-band (Mishna id.; LevyNHWB iv. 498; al. compare Arabic  , literally a sun, of small glass neck-ornament WeSkizzen iii. 145; Hebrew perhaps a diminutive, see Ges§ 86 note); — plural הַשְּׁבִיסִים Isaiah 3:18, in list of women's finery. Topical Lexicon Biblical Context The word occurs once, Isaiah 3:18, in a catalogue of jewelry and fine apparel that the Lord promises to strip from “the daughters of Zion.” The wider oracle (Isaiah 3:16–26) confronts Judah’s social arrogance and spiritual decay; every decorative article becomes a witness against pride. The removal of such items anticipates exile, where outward splendor will give way to shame and captivity. Description and Cultural Background Archaeology and contemporary texts show elite women in the ancient Near East wearing delicate net-caps or latticework headbands interwoven with threads of gold, silver, or colored linen. Small crescent-shaped plates or beads might be sewn into the mesh, producing a gentle shimmer as the wearer walked. These adornments were not mere fashion; they signaled wealth, family honor, and often participation in religious festivities. Worn high on the crown, they drew attention to the face and hair—features frequently praised in courtship poetry (for example, Song of Solomon 4:1). Theological Significance 1. Pride Exposed: By naming this single item, Isaiah reveals that sin had penetrated even private wardrobes. Luxury itself is not condemned, but the heart that trusts in luxury rather than the Lord is. Prophetic Symbolism in Isaiah The stripping away of ornaments parallels later visions of Jerusalem’s downfall (Isaiah 47:1–3; Lamentations 1:6). Just as captives were marched away bareheaded, so Judah’s women will be led from comfort to humiliation. Yet the same book ends with promised restoration: “Instead of ashes, the oil of joy” (Isaiah 61:3). The loss of one ornamental band thus foreshadows a greater exchange—pride for repentance, exile for redemption. Connections to New Testament Teaching • 1 Timothy 2:9–10 urges women to dress “with modesty and self-control… with good deeds.” Applications for Faith and Practice • Discipleship: Teach believers to evaluate adornment by motive—does it honor God or magnify self? Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching 1. A gleaming crown placed on a mannequin, then removed mid-sermon, dramatizes the suddenness of God’s judgment on pride. Summary The lone biblical mention of this ornate headpiece serves as a small yet probing mirror: what treasures decorate our lives, and will they stand when the Lord “shakes the earth” (Hebrews 12:26)? Isaiah’s word presses every generation toward humility, modesty, and the lasting beauty of holiness. Forms and Transliterations וְהַשְּׁבִיסִ֖ים והשביסים vehashsheviSim wə·haš·šə·ḇî·sîm wəhaššəḇîsîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 3:18 HEB: תִּפְאֶ֧רֶת הָעֲכָסִ֛ים וְהַשְּׁבִיסִ֖ים וְהַשַּׂהֲרֹנִֽים׃ NAS: of [their] anklets, headbands, crescent ornaments, KJV: of [their] tinkling ornaments [about their feet], and [their] cauls, and [their] round tires like the moon, INT: the beauty of anklets headbands crescent 1 Occurrence |
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