What does Isaiah 3:17 mean?

The outward appearance and inner attitudes of wealthy women in Jerusalem and Judah during Isaiah's day were both flawed. They are haughty and arrogant, walking around with expensive clothing and jewels to call attention to their bodies and their riches (Isaiah 3:16). They do all this instead of humbling themselves before the Lord and trusting Him to provide what they need.

Throughout this book, Isaiah has been describing the systematic way in which the Lord will remove everything His people have been trusting in. They assume idols and material goods will bring them security and meaning, instead of God. Now the Lord will do the same to these women who are seeking their own glory instead of His. He will take away that which they wrongly trust.

He will start by removing the glory of their hair. The text may be describing a disease causing sores to develop on their heads and scab over. This would require the shaving of some or all their heads. Or the reference may be to the aftermath of the coming invasions, in which the women will shave their own heads. In the ancient world, this was an act of grief and mourning over the loss of their men and everything they have held dear.

The text also references the shame associated with nakedness: being exposed and uncovered (Isaiah 47:3; Jeremiah 13:22; Ezekiel 16:37). This refers both to a loss of their fine clothing and the humiliation of being embarrassed and ashamed.