Isaiahchapter 20

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1 Before the year that the chief commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it,

2 the LORD had already spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and the sandals from your feet.” And Isaiah did so, walking around naked and barefoot.

3 Then the LORD said, “Just as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush,

4 so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, naked and barefoot, with bared buttocks—to Egypt’s shame.

5 Those who made Cush their hope and Egypt their boast will be dismayed and ashamed.

6 And on that day the dwellers of this coastland will say, ‘See what has happened to our source of hope, those to whom we fled for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?’”

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Chapter summary

Sargon of Assyria's capture of Ashdod through his commander Tartan dates this brief sign-act oracle.

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Sargon of Assyria's capture of Ashdod through his commander Tartan dates this brief sign-act oracle. Jehovah commands Isaiah the son of Amoz to strip off sackcloth and sandals, and the prophet walks naked and barefoot for three years as "a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia." The enacted meaning follows: the king of Assyria will lead away Egypt's captives and Ethiopia's exiles the same way: young and old, naked, barefoot, buttocks uncovered, to Egypt's shame. Those who trusted these powers, "Ethiopia their expectation" and "Egypt their glory," are left dismayed, and the inhabitants of the coast-land close the chapter with the stranded question: if this is what became of the refuge we fled to, "how shall we escape?"

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Prophecy · Isaiah — Isaiah overview

A. 1–2 Isaiah Walks Naked and Barefoot
B. 3–6 A Three-Year Sign Against Egypt and Ethiopia

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Jeremiah 132 verses
- Jeremiah 13:22And if you ask yourself, “Why has this happened to me?” It is because of the magnitude of your iniquity that your skirts have been stripped off and your body has been exposed.
- Jeremiah 13:26So I will pull your skirts up over your face, that your shame may be seen.
- Read Jeremiah 13 →
Isaiah 302 verses
- Isaiah 30:3But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame, and the refuge of Egypt’s shade your disgrace.
- Isaiah 30:5everyone will be put to shame because of a people useless to them. They cannot be of help; they are good for nothing but shame and reproach.”
- Read Isaiah 30 →
2 Kings 181 verse
- 2 Kings 18:17Nevertheless, the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh, along with a great army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They advanced up to Jerusalem and stationed themselves by the aqueduct of the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field.
- Read 2 Kings 18 →
Jeremiah 251 verse
- Jeremiah 25:29For behold, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears My Name, so how could you possibly go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, declares the LORD of Hosts.’
- Read Jeremiah 25 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

1 Samuel 51 verse
- 1 Samuel 5:1After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod,
- Read 1 Samuel 5 →
Matthew 31 verse
- Matthew 3:4John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
- Read Matthew 3 →
1 Samuel 191 verse
- 1 Samuel 19:24Then Saul stripped off his robes and also prophesied before Samuel. And he collapsed and lay naked all that day and night. That is why it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
- Read 1 Samuel 19 →
Micah 11 verse
- Micah 1:8Because of this I will lament and wail; I will walk barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and mourn like an ostrich.
- Read Micah 1 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.