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Isaiah 20

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Historical Context and Prophetic Command 1–2

1
In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it; ​
2
at that time Jehovah spake by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go, and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put thy shoe from off thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot. ​

The Sign Interpreted: Egypt’s Shame 3–6

3
And Jehovah said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia; ​
4
so shall the king of Assyria lead away the captives of Egypt, and the exiles of Ethiopia, young and old, naked and barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.
5
And they shall be dismayed and confounded, because of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory. ​
6
And the inhabitant of this coast-land shall say in that day, Behold, such is our expectation, whither we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria: and we, how shall we escape? ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Isaiah 20

Verse 1

Tartan came unto Ashdod — Tartan is an Assyrian title for a commander, the same word that names one of the officers sent to Hezekiah (2 Kgs 18:17). 'Sargon' is named in the Bible only here. Ashdod, the Philistine city to which the ark was brought (1 Sam 5:1), is taken; the year is the one in which the sign of vv.2–3 begins.

Verse 2

walking naked and barefoot — The LORD speaks 'by' Isaiah, literally by his hand. The 'sackcloth' (saq) was the prophet's mourning dress, and 'naked' (arom) can mean stripped of the outer garment: Saul 'stripped off his clothes also… and lay down naked' (1 Sam 19:24), and Peter 'was naked' when he girt on his coat (John 21:7). Micah also went 'stripped and naked' (Mic 1:8).

Verse 3

three years for a sign and wonder — 'Sign' (oth) and 'wonder' (mopheth) are paired for Isaiah and his sons in Isa 8:18, 'for signs and for wonders in Israel'. Here the sign is aimed at 'Egypt and… Ethiopia', whose king Tirhakah appears in Isa 37:9. A sign lasting years is like Ezekiel's, who lay on his side 'each day for a year' (Ezek 4:6).

Verse 5

Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory — Mabbat, 'expectation', is the thing looked to, and occurs only here, in v.6 and in Zech 9:5. Egypt's 'glory' (tiph'arah) is what those who leaned on her took pride in, and 'the strength of Pharaoh' becomes 'your shame' (Isa 30:3). Ezekiel calls Egypt 'a staff of reed' that broke when Israel leaned on it (Ezek 29:6–7).

Verse 6

the inhabitant of this isle — 'Isle' (i) is a coastland, the word of 'ye inhabitants of the isle' in Isa 23:2. Its people repeat the word of v.5, 'such is our expectation', and ask for 'help' (ezrah), the word of Ps 46:1, 'a very present help in trouble'. Assyria's own challenge, 'Hath any of the gods… delivered his land?' (Isa 36:18), uses their verb natsal, 'to be delivered'.