The Prophet and His Day: Isaiah 1-39 - Free Bible Commentary

3:17NASB, NJB,REB “make their foreheads bare”NKJV“uncover their secret parts”NRSV, Peshitta “lay bear their secret parts”TEV“shave their heads and leave them bald”LXX“expose their form”The MT uses a rare word (BDB 834) meaning1. sockets (for a door), I Kgs. 7:502. secret parts (feminine reproductive organs), Isa. 3:17 (?)There is an Akkadian root (KB 983) which means “forehead,” which is also an option. These proud,well-dressed, wealthy exploiters will be humbled!3:18 “headbands” The IVP Biblical Background Commentary says these refer to “sun ornaments.” Soas the “crescent ornaments” reflect moon worship these represent sun worship.} “crescent ornaments” This (BDB 962) was a symbol of moon worship.1. on the military camels, Jdgs. 8:212. on Midianite kings, Jdgs. 8:263. on wealthy Judean women, Isa. 3:18Another example of their open idolatry!SPECIAL TOPIC: MOON WORSHIPMoon worship was the most widespread mythology of the Ancient Near East starting with Sumer(the first known civilization). There was both a male and female aspect to the myth. Originally themoon god came from the rape of the grain goddess, Ninlil, by Enlil, the sky god. Enlil was cast out ofthe pantheon and condemned to the underworld for his act, but when Ninlil found out she was with childshe joined him. The child, Sin (or Zin), was allowed to climb into the sky each night.The worship of the moon is designed by its different phases.1. new moon – Asimbabbar2. crescent moon – Sin3. full moon – Nanaa (Sumerian “illumination” from En-su, “lord of wisdom”)These names basically mean “wise lord” (i.e., Suen) or “illumination” (Nanaa), worshiped at Ur of theChaldees. The city itself was often called the city of Nannar. The fertility pair were worshiped atziggurats (large pyramids with flat tops) located in the city. The sun god (Shamash) was the firstborn ofthe couple and later Ereshkigal (the Queen of the Underworld) and Nanna (the Queen of Heaven/sky).The cult was spread all across the ANE, but the major centers of worship were1. Ur2. Haran3. Tema4. Canaan5. MeccaBasically this mythology combined the fertility emphasis with astral worship.61