3. The future Day of Judgment is now (3:1-4:1)

Starvation and social anarchy rule. This section seems to reflect the actual state of affairs that existed in 701 b.c. during Sennacherib’s siege of Jerusalem. Indeed there was little food and water left in Jerusalem during the siege (v.1). It was a time of panic, terror, and related social chaos. Society has dissolved to the point where only children are willing to govern (v.4). In reality, the situation was so horrendous that no one wanted to govern (vv.5-7).

Like the composer of a great symphony, the prophet/poet returns to earlier themes to present them in a slightly different light. He reminds the people of Judah that the current judgment is a result of their sins against Yahweh (vv.8-15). Again the parallel with Sodom is drawn. As in 1:18-19, the contrasting features of the righteous and the wicked are indicated (vv.10-11).

V.12 is difficult. It may be, as some have suggested, that it refers to a child king and queen mother. One suspects, rather, because of the context, that the references are intended to be derogatory terms suggesting that the current leaders were in fact weaklings.

Indeed, subsequent verses demonstrate that the reason the Lord rises to judge his people is because the leaders and rulers have not acted in good faith. Rather, they have ruined God’s people (vineyard is a term often employed to refer to Judah/Israel; see below on 5:1-7). They have exploited the poor. In short, they have failed to seek justice. (1:17).

The haughtiness of the women of Jerusalem is excoriated (3:16-4:1). In stark contrast to the crushed and helpless poor are the overbearing, wealthy women of Jerusalem. God’s judgment will surely come to them. Note the striking contrast of v.24:

Instead of fragrance, there will be stench;

Instead of a sash, a rope;

Instead of well-dressed hair, baldness;

Instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;

Instead of beauty, branding.

These are the terms of exile, an exile that would one day come.

Then the prophet combines, as it were, the tragic sorrow of these devastated individual women into one symbolic whole with the reference to a feminized Zion, who, destitute, sits on the ground and mourns (v.26).

In that day of devastation, so many of the men of Judah will be killed that there will be only one man for every seven women. And they, who once exhibited such arrogant pride will beg of that man simply to let them be called by his name and take away their disgrace.