(Isa. 3:16–24; 2 Ne. 8:25; Amos 4:1–4; Isa. 4:4; Song 3:11; D&C 124:11)
If, indeed, Isaiah’s words refer to the last days, we must look for a time when even some of the “daughters of Zion [or the children of Israel] are haughty, and walk with stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes.” … Sometimes the phrase “daughters of Zion” … refers to the cities of Judah.
(Book of Mormon Student Manual, Religion 121 and 122[Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981], 91.)
Isaiah, one of the great prophets of early times, saw our day, and he described the conditions that would prevail among the “daughters of Zion” in these latter days… . As I sit on the stand in a stake conference and look down over the congregation, I see some of the conditions existing of which Isaiah spoke… . The standards expressed by the General Authorities of the Church are that women, as well as men, should dress modestly. They are taught proper deportment and modesty at all times. It is, in my judgment, a sad reflection on the “daughters of Zion” when they dress immodestly. Moreover, this remark pertains to the men as well as to the women.
(Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 5 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret book Co., 1957–1966], 5:172–74.)
The plural form daughters of Zion is infrequently used in the scriptures (Isa. 3:16–17; 4:4; Song. 3:11; D&C 124:11). Scholars generally agree that the singular expression daughter of Zion refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah (Lam. 1:6–8; 2:8–11; Zech. 9:9; 2 Ne. 8:25). What then is the meaning of plural daughters of Zion? There are several possible interpretations. If the phrase daughter of Zion represents Jerusalem, then perhaps the plural daughters refers to Jerusalem at the time of Isaiah as well as Jerusalem in the last days. The plural daughters of Zion may also refer to ancient Jerusalem (and the Southern Kingdom of Judah) and to Samaria (and the Northern Kingdom of Israel). The phrase may be literal, referring to actual women, or it may point to women as symbols of pride and sin in the last days. Note the women’s clothing described in 3:18–24 and the actual women that seem to be identified in 4:1. This interpretation parallels Isaiah’s condemnation of male pride (2:10–22) and the sick nature of the inhabitants of Jerusalem (1:5–6, 21–23).
(Donald W. Parry, Jay A. Parry, and Tina M. Peterson, Understanding Isaiah [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1998], 43.)
President Young has been calling upon the daughters of Zion day after day, now, for years, to lay aside these Babylonish fashions… . I have been hoping … that the sayings contained in that chapter [Isa. 3] would never apply to the daughters of Zion in our day; but I believe they will… . I hope they will hasten the lengthening out of their skirts … that they will increase their round tires like the moon, increase their hoops, and their headbands, increase their Grecian bends at once and carry it out until they get through with it, so that we can turn to the Lord as a people. Some of the daughters of Zion do not seem willing to forsake the fashions of Babylon. I to such would say hasten it, and let the woe that is threatened on this account come, that we may get through with it, then we can go on and build up the Zion of God on the earth… . Think not, ye elders of Israel, ye sons and daughters of Zion, that we are going to live after the order of Babylon always. We are not. We shall be chastised and afflicted, and shall feel the chastening rod of the Almighty, unless we serve the Lord our God, and build up his kingdom.
(Wilford Woodruff, The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, ed. G. Homer Durham [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1946, 1990], 226–27.)
The “daughters of Zion,” representing Israel, strut proudly in their fine clothes and jewels, but the Lord will smite them with disease and exhibit their shame (vv. 16, 17)… .
18. In that day the Lord will take away the bravery [glory, finery] of their tinkling ornaments [their anklets, bangles], and cauls [headbands], and round tires like the moon [crescents]; 19. the chains [pendants] and the bracelets, and the mufflers [veils]; 20. the bonnets [headdresses], and the ornaments of the legs [armlets], and the headbands [sashes], and the tablets [perfume boxes], and the ear-rings [amulets]; 21. the rings [signet-rings], and nose jewels [nose rings]; 22. the changeable suits of apparel [festal robes], and the mantles, and the wimples [cloaks], and the crisping pins [purses]; 23. the glasses [polished metal mirrors], and the fine linen, and hoods [women’s turbans], and the veils [wraps]… .
Zion (so means Isaiah) will now adopt the garb of mourning, sackcloth. She will receive branding, the mark of slavery, instead of beauty… .
24… . And instead of a girdle, a rent [a rope, i.e., of captives]… .
And instead of a stomacher [fine robe], a girding of sackcloth;
Burning [Brand-mark] instead of beauty.
(Sidney B. Sperry, Book of Mormon Compendium [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1968], 182–83.)
The prophet referred to the covenant people of this time as the “daughters of Zion.” Like all good daughters of his day, they should have been keeping themselves pure and virtuous, awaiting the day when they would meet their bridegroom, or Christ. Instead, these worldly people were doing just the contrary… .
Isaiah described further how all the temporal, vain, and worldly adornments with which the promiscuous “daughters of Zion” had hoped to beautify themselves in an effort to attract adulterous (idolatrous) lovers would be taken away, leaving them disgusting and repulsive rather than tempting and alluring (Isa. 3:18–24): “And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty” (Isa. 3:24). In their humbled and contemptible state, they would sit at the gates of the city and wail, but to no avail, for the lovers they sought would have fallen “by the sword,” and those remaining would not take these foul and filthy daughters regardless of what they offered (Isa. 3:25–4:1). Every evil thing in which they trusted and hoped to find pleasure would be lost or turned against them. Instead of finding happiness, they could expect to find abandonment, captivity, desolation, and humiliation.
(Terry B. Ball, Voices of Old Testament Prophets: The 26th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997], 50, 55.)
The description does not really refer to “women.” The phrase “daughters of Zion” is an idiom, a “Hebraism of scripture.” It is symbolic. It refers to those who are or ought to be building Zion. It refers to the people as a whole.
(Loren D. Martin, Isaiah: An Ensign to the Nations [Salt Lake City: Valiant Publications, 1982], 162.)
With respect to the women, and more particularly with regard to the manner in which they dress.
Never … have I seen such obscene, uncleanly, impure, and suggestive fashions of women’s dress as I see today. Some of them are abominable. I lift my voice against … these infamous fashions, and I pray that you who have daughters in Zion will save them, if you can, from following these obscene fashions, that if followed, will destroy the last vestige of true womanly modesty… .
While crossing the street the other day, I saw a woman dressed to the height of this ridiculous fashion, and she was trotting along with little, short steps, she couldn’t go any other way, hurrying across the street to catch the car. She got hold of the rail of the car and tried to lift herself up, but her foot would not go up to the step. By this time there was a crowd of men looking on. All of a sudden she stooped down, caught the bottom of her dress and raised it high enough to climb up… . Would you like your daughters to expose themselves in such a manner? To do so they must of necessity part with their sense of womanly modesty… . God have mercy on our girls, and help them to dress decently!
I suppose I shall incur the censure and displeasure of many in saying these things, but I do not care… . In my sight the present day fashions are abominable, suggestive of evil, calculated to arouse base passion and lust, and to engender lasciviousness, in the hearts of those who follow the fashions, and of those who tolerate them… . It is infamous, and I hope the daughters of Zion will not descend to these pernicious ways, customs and fashions, for they are demoralizing and damnable in their effect.
(Joseph F. Smith, Conference Report, Oct. 1913, 7–8.)