Lexical Summary sherah: Sherah Original Word: שֵׁרָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bracelet From sharar in its original sense of pressing; a wrist-band (as compact or clasping) -- bracelet. see HEBREW sharar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as shor Definition a bracelet NASB Translation bracelets (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [שֵׁרָה] bracelet, see שׁרר. [שֵׁרָה] noun [feminine] bracelet (Aramaic שֵׁירָא id., Topical Lexicon Occurrence and Literary Context Strong’s Hebrew 8285, שֵׁרָה (sherah), is found once in the Old Testament, within Isaiah’s oracle of judgment upon the daughters of Zion (Isaiah 3:16–26). The single reference is Isaiah 3:19, where the Berean Standard Bible lists the item among other costly accessories the Lord will remove: “their pendants, bracelets, and veils” (Isaiah 3:19). By placing שֵׁרָה amid anklets, crescents, sashes, and mirrors, Isaiah highlights it as part of a luxurious ensemble that had come to symbolize pride and spiritual blindness in Jerusalem’s elite women. Cultural and Historical Background Archaeology and ancient Near Eastern texts reveal that wealthy women often wore translucent or finely woven veils both for ornamentation and for marking social status. In contrast to thicker everyday coverings, an ornamental veil such as the שֵׁרָה would be crafted from delicate fabrics, sometimes embroidered or scented, and fastened with precious metals. Such finery projected refinement, but it could also advertise privilege and invite the very gaze modest coverings were originally meant to restrain (Genesis 24:65; Song of Solomon 4:1). Prophetic Purpose in Isaiah Isaiah names these accessories to expose a deeper issue: Judah’s leaders and ladies were trusting glamor and social clout while neglecting covenant faithfulness. The removal of the שֵׁרָה and its companion trinkets dramatizes the Lord’s stripping away of false securities. The sudden reversal—from fragrant perfume to stench, from well-set hair to baldness, from fine garments to sackcloth (Isaiah 3:24)—foreshadows exile and humiliation. Thus the veil becomes a symbol of misplaced glory: what once concealed and adorned will be taken away to reveal inner poverty. Symbolic Threads Elsewhere in Scripture 1. Modesty and Reverence: Rebekah’s self-veiling on meeting Isaac (Genesis 24:64–65) reflects humility and honor in contrast to Zion’s haughty display. Theological and Ministry Application • True security is rooted in covenant faithfulness, not in social display. External trappings—whether clothing, titles, or digital personas—cannot substitute for a heart set on the Lord (Psalm 62:7). Related Themes for Further Study Adornment and Modesty – Exodus 33:5–6; 1 Timothy 2:9–10 Pride Preceding Judgment – Proverbs 16:18; Isaiah 2:11–17 Shame and Restoration – Zephaniah 3:11–17; Revelation 3:17–18 Veiling and Revelation – 2 Corinthians 3:13–18; Revelation 19:7–8 The solitary appearance of שֵׁרָה in Isaiah functions as a vivid miniature of a larger biblical principle: when outward show eclipses inward holiness, the Lord who sees the heart will intervene, remove false beauty, and invite His people to seek the unfading splendor found in Him alone. Forms and Transliterations וְהַשֵּׁיר֖וֹת והשירות vehashsheiRot wə·haš·šê·rō·wṯ wəhaššêrōwṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 3:19 HEB: הַנְּטִיפ֥וֹת וְהַשֵּׁיר֖וֹת וְהָֽרְעָלֽוֹת׃ NAS: dangling earrings, bracelets, veils, KJV: The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, INT: dangling bracelets veils 1 Occurrence |