Isaiah 20:1
in Isaiah 20Before the year that the chief commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it;
KJV
In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it;
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This verse in Isaiah 20
Commentary
13 notes on this verseIn the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod,.... Or Azotus, as the Septuagint here call it; and which is its name in the New Testament; see Gill on Act 8:40. This Tartan, or whom the Septuagint names Tanathan, and the Arabic version Tathan, was one of Sennacherib's generals, 2Ki 18:17, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him); to the above place to besiege it. This Sargon is generally thought to be the same with Sennacherib, since Tartan was one of his generals, who might have more names than one.
This site's exposition
Tartan came unto Ashdod
on Isaiah 20:1-3
The chapter opens with a precise anchor date, the year the Assyrian general Tartan captured Ashdod under Sargon's order, a campaign confirmed by Sargon's own annals, which fixes the sign to a real and datable moment rather than a vague future. At that same time the Lord commands Isaiah to loose the sackcloth from his body and walk naked and barefoot, and the prophet obeys, though the walking is not a single act but a state kept up three full years as a sign and wonder against Egypt and Ethiopia. Clarke and Barnes take naked in its ordinary Hebrew range as stripped of the outer garment and reduced to the plainest under-tunic, the dress of a captive, rather than complete nakedness, though the shame the sign pictures is the same either way.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
That it may be more fully clear that prophets look not to themselves or what lies at their feet but to heavenly things, Stephen, when he was being stoned, saw the heavens open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Then he did not feel the blows of the stones, he did not heed the wounds of his body, but, fastening his eyes on Christ, he clung to him. So, too, Isaiah did not notice his nakedness but made himself the instrument of God's voice, that he might proclaim what God spoke within him.
Truly I grieve that while falsehood is so respected, there should be such negligence as regards the truth, that many are ashamed of seeming too devoted to our holy religion, not considering his words who says, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me before men, of him will I also be ashamed before my Father which is in heaven." But Moses was not thus ashamed, for though invited into the royal palace he "esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt." David was not thus ashamed when he danced before the ark of the testimony in the sight of all the people. Isaiah was not thus ashamed when he walked naked and barefoot through the people, proclaiming the heavenly oracles.…But the things that viewed corporeally are unseemly, when viewed in regard to holy religion become venerable, so that they who blame such things will involve their own souls in the net of blame. Thus Michal reproves David for his dancing and says to him, "How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of his handmaids!" And David answered her, "It was before the Lord, who chose me before your father and before all his house to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel."
(Chapter 20, Verse 1) In the year that Tharhaka came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him and fought against Ashdod and took it. At that time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot. Then the Lord said, As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush. Thus the king of Assyria will threaten the captivity of Egypt, and the exile of Ethiopia, the young and old stripped and barefoot, with naked buttocks, the disgrace of Egypt. And they will be afraid and ashamed because of their hope in Ethiopia, and because of their glory in Egypt. And the inhabitants of this island will say on that day: Behold, this was our hope, to whom we fled for help, that he might deliver us from the face of the king of Assyria, and how will we be able to escape? We have set the whole content of this chapter, so that we may discuss each part separately. Azotus, which is called Ashdod in Hebrew, was a very powerful city in Palestine among the five cities. It was captured and held by Sargon, the king of the Assyrians, who is also known by seven names, by sending his general named Tartan. At the time when the neighboring city was captured, Isaiah is commanded to walk naked and barefoot, after taking off his sackcloth garment (for this was the prophetic attire of a people grieving for their sins) and his sandals, which the Greek translation calls caligas, thus symbolizing the captivity of Egypt and Ethiopia, who were allies of the Egyptians. In this way, just as Isaiah walked naked and showed his bare buttocks as a sign of disgrace to those who saw, all of Egypt and Ethiopia would become naked and bare, with nothing remaining on the land, as the Assyrians ravaged the region. […]
(Verse 24.) And I fell upon my face, and the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet: and he spoke to me, and said to me: Go in, and shut thyself up in the midst of thy house. Unable to bear the weight of the glory of the Lord standing, he fell on his face, so that he could be lifted up by the entering spirit. The spirit stood him upon his feet, and spoke to him, saying: Enter and shut thyself up in the midst of thy house. And this is the meaning: Because you have been strengthened by the vision of the Lord's majesty, you should not fear anyone or be afraid of anything; but rather return to your home or tend to the needs of the body, as some think, or as a sign of the future siege. And just as Isaiah, barefoot and naked (Isaiah 20), proclaimed the captivity of three years and the nakedness of the people, so you, confined to your home, by the action itself, foretell the imminent siege of the city of Jerusalem.
6 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers2 voices
(Chapter 20, verses 1 and following) In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him and he fought against Ashdod and took it, at that time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, "Go, and loose the sackcloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet," and he did so, walking naked and barefoot. And the Lord said, "As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years, as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush.
Someone perhaps will say, "Was it not disgraceful for a man to walk naked among the people since he must meet both men and women? Must not his appearance have shocked the gaze of all, but especially that of women? Do we not ourselves generally abhor the sight of naked men? And are not men's private parts covered with clothing that they may not offend the gaze of onlookers by their unsightliness?" I agree, but you must consider what this act represented and what was the reason for this outward show; it was that the young Jewish youths and maidens would be led away into exile and walk naked, "as my servant Isaiah walked," he says, "naked and barefoot." This might have been expressed in words, but God chose to enforce it by an example that the very sight might strike more terror, and what they shrank from in the body of the prophet they might utterly dread for themselves. Wherein lay the greater abhorrence: in the body of the prophet or in the sins of the disbelievers?
The Medieval Church1 voice
In the year that. Here the time of destruction is set out, and it is divided into three parts. And first is set out something that signifies, namely a prophetic deed; second, the signification of the deed: and the Lord said (Isa 20:3); third, he …
The Reformation1 voice
In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod. In the preceding chapter Isaiah prophesied about the calamity which threatened Egypt, and at the same time promised to it the mercy of God.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod - Tartan was one of the generals of Sennacherib. Ashdod, called by the Greeks Azotus, was a seaport on the Mediterranean, between Askelon and Ekron, and not far from Gaza (Reland’s “Palestine,” iii.) It was one of the five cities of the Philistines, assigned to the tribe of Judah, but never conquered by them Jos 13:8; Jos 15:46-47. The temple of Dagon stood here; and here the ark of God was brought after the fatal battle of Eben-ezer (1Sa 5:1, following.)
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
GESENIUS takes "Tartan" as a title. Ashdod--called by the Greeks Azotus (Ac 8:40); on the Mediterranean, one of the "five" cities of the Philistines. The taking of it was a necessary preliminary to the invasion of Egypt, to which it was the key in that quarter, the Philistines being allies of Egypt.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בִּשְׁנַ֨ת | bishnat | in [the] year | H8141 → | 877 times |
| בֹּ֤א | bo' | came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| תַרְתָּן֙ | tartan | [the] supreme commander | H8661 → | |
| אַשְׁדּ֔וֹדָה | ʾashdodah | Ashdod towards | H795 → | |
| בִּשְׁלֹ֣ח | bishloch | when sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| אֹת֔וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> him | H853 → | 10935 times |
| סַֽרְג֖וֹן | sargon | Sargon | H5623 → | |
| מֶ֣לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אַשּׁ֑וּר | ʾashur | Assyria | H804 → | 151 times |
| וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם | vaiyilachem | and he fought | H3898 → | 177 times |
| בְּאַשְׁדּ֖וֹד | beashdod | against Ashdod | H795 → | |
| וַֽיִּלְכְּדָֽהּ׃ | vaiyilkedah | and he captured it | H3920 → | 121 times |
בִּשְׁנַ֨תin [the] year
bishnatH8141 →877 times
בֹּ֤אcame
bo'H935 →2568 times
תַרְתָּן֙[the] supreme commander
tartanH8661 →
אַשְׁדּ֔וֹדָהAshdod towards
ʾashdodahH795 →
בִּשְׁלֹ֣חwhen sent
bishlochH7971 →845 times
אֹת֔וֹ<obj.> him
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
סַֽרְג֖וֹןSargon
sargonH5623 →
מֶ֣לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
אַשּׁ֑וּרAssyria
ʾashurH804 →151 times
וַיִּלָּ֥חֶםand he fought
vaiyilachemH3898 →177 times
בְּאַשְׁדּ֖וֹדagainst Ashdod
beashdodH795 →
וַֽיִּלְכְּדָֽהּ׃and he captured it
vaiyilkedahH3920 →121 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Amos 1:8I will cut off the ruler of Ashdod and the one who wields the scepter in Ashkelon. I will turn My hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,” says the…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 25:16
therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I will stretch out My hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the remnant along the coast.
- Isaiah 14:29–31
Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken. For a viper will spring from the root of the snake, and a flying serpent from its egg.
- Jeremiah 47:4–5
For the day has come to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every remaining ally. Indeed, the LORD is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant from the coasts…
- Zephaniah 2:4–7
For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon left in ruins. Ashdod will be driven out at noon, and Ekron will be uprooted.
- Ezekiel 25:16
Through
1 Samuel 5:1After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod,
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 7:12
Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”
- 1 Samuel 7:12
Through
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…
it leads to
- Isaiah 7:3
Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct that feeds the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field,
- 2 Kings 20:20
As for the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, along with all his might and how he constructed the pool and the tunnel to bring water into the city, are they not written in…
- Isaiah 7:3
Through
Jeremiah 25:20all the mixed tribes; all the kings of Uz; all the kings of the Philistines: Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;
it leads to
- Job 1:1
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.
- Job 1:1
What the record shows
1 entry- Sargon II — attested in contemporary inscriptionundisputed
Multiple Assyrian inscriptions; Khorsabad palace
Biblical figure (King of Assyria, 721-705 BC) identified in extra-biblical epigraphy.
About Isaiah

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, Letter 58.13; Ambrose of Milan, Letter 58.4-6; Ambrose of Milan, Letter 58.10-11; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; Jerome, LETTER 40; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.
