Jehovah struck the scalp of the daughters of Zion with scabs, exposed their secret parts, and removed the beauty of their luxurious ornaments (3:17-18). There was rottenness instead of a sweet smell, an encircling rope instead of a belt, baldness instead of well-set hair, sackcloth instead of fine garments, and a brand instead of beauty (v. 24).
Jehovah caused the men of Zion to fall by the sword and her mighty in battle. He also caused her gates to mourn and lament and her city, being desolated, to sit on the ground (3:25-26).
Jehovah removed the hedge of Israel as His vineyard so that it would be consumed, and He broke down its wall so that it would be trampled (5:5). He made it a waste, not pruned nor hoed, and He also commanded the clouds not to pour rain upon it (v. 6). Furthermore, He caused many houses to become desolate, great houses to be without inhabitants (v. 9). The produce of the vineyard and the field were reduced to the lowest amount (v. 10).
In 5:13-17 we see that Jehovah put the people into exile. Their nobility became famished men, and their multitudes were parched with thirst. Hence, Sheol enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth wide, without limit. Jerusalem's splendor, din, and uproar and the jubilant within her descended into Sheol. Thus, the ordinary man was humbled, and the man of distinction and the eyes of the haughty were abased. But Jehovah of hosts was exalted in judgment, and the holy God showed Himself holy in righteousness. Lambs grazed there as in their pasture, and strangers ate the wastelands of rich men.
In His judgment over the nations, Jehovah of hosts is exalted, and the holy God shows Himself holy in righteousness (5:16). If we are not righteous, we cannot be holy. Without righteousness there is no base for being holy. Righteousness is the base for holiness, and upon this base holiness is exhibited. Hence, holiness is higher than righteousness. With His righteousness as the base, God shows Himself as the holy God. In righteousness He exhibits His holiness.
God could expect only righteousness from the nations because they are not the sons of God. It is with His sons that God expects to see holiness (Heb. 12:5-11). God's chastening and disciplining is to uplift us from righteousness to holiness. In His salvation, He first justified us to make us righteous in Christ. After this, we need to go on to be sanctified, to be made holy. To be righteous is to match God's way of doing things outwardly, but to be holy is to match God's nature inwardly. As the sons of God, we need to go on from righteousness to reach holiness, to show ourselves holy in righteousness.