The virgin, the daughter of Zion - Jerusalem (see the note at Isaiah 1:8; compare the note at Isaiah 23:12). The parallelism in this and the following verses shows that the poetic form of speech is here introduced.
Hast despised thee - That is, it is secure from thy contemplated attack. The idea is, that Jerusalem would exult over the ineffectual attempts of Sennacherib to take it, and over his complete overthrow.
Hath laughed thee to scorn - Will make thee an object of derision.
Hath shaken her head at thee - This is an indication of contempt and scorn (compare Psalms 22:7; Psalms 109:25; Jeremiah 18:16; Zephaniah 2:15; Matthew 27:39).