Isaiah 20:6
in Isaiah 20And 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?’”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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?
KJV
And the inhabitant of this isle shall say in that day, Behold, such is our expectation, whither we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria: and how shall we escape?
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This verse in Isaiah 20
Commentary
12 notes on this verseAnd the inhabitants of this isle shall say, in that day,.... Not of Ashdod, Isa 20:1 or the isle of Caphtor, Jer 47:4 but the land of Israel, as both Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it; so called, because it bordered on the sea, as such countries are sometimes called isles; see Jer 25:
This site's exposition
with bared buttocks
on Isaiah 20:4-6
The three years become a forecast: "the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, naked and barefoot". Isaiah had already worn that shame. Verse 6 lands the sign on "the dwellers of this coastland", who had made "Cush their hope and Egypt their boast".
This site's exposition
the dwellers of this coastland
The word for coastland is often rendered isle. Gill follows Jarchi and Kimchi in taking it as the land of Israel, and others take it as the Philistine coast, where Ashdod was captured. The dwellers who fled to Egypt for help see their own shame coming.
The record, by era
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.
Even as islands have been set in the midst of the sea, churches have been established in the midst of this world, and they are beaten and buffeted by different waves of persecution. Truly these islands are lashed by waves every day, but they are not submerged. They are in the midst of the sea, to be sure, but they have Christ as their foundation, Christ who cannot be moved.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Third, the expression of both of these effects: and the inhabitants of this isle, that is, Jerusalem, which was incessantly beaten by waves of persecution, like an isle beaten by the waves of the sea. Lo this was our hope, in which their confusion is …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The date of this prophecy. It was in the year that Ashdod, a strong city of the Philistines (but which some think was lately recovered from them by Hezekiah, when he smote the Philistines even unto Gaza, 2 Kings xviii. 8 ), was besieged and taken by an army of the Assyrians.
): The inhabitants of this isle (the land of Judah, situated upon the sea, though not surrounded by it), of this country (so the margin); every one shall now have his eyes opened, and shall say, " Behold, such is our expectation, so vain, so foolish, and this is that which it will come to.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Of the country - Of this land, in which the prophet was, and to whose inhabitants, these words were uttered. Such - So vain is our hope placed upon such a people as are unable to deliver themselves.
Hereupon all about them were ashamed that ever they promised themselves any advantage from two such weak and cowardly nations, and were more afraid now than ever they were of the growing greatness of the king of Assyria, before whom Egypt and Ethiopia proved but as briers and thorns put to stop a consuming fire, which do but make it burn the more strongly.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And the inhabitant - The dwellers generally. Of this isle - The word אי 'iy “isle” is used here in the sense of “coast, or maritime” country, and is evidently applied to Palestine, or the land of Canaan, which is a narrow coast lying on the Mediterranean. That the word is often used in this sense, and may be applied to a maritime country, see the notes at Isa 13:22; Isa 41:1. The connection here requires us to understand it of Palestine. Shall say ... - Shall condemn their own folly in trusting in Egypt, and seeking deliverance there.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
isle--that is, coast on the Mediterranean--Philistia, perhaps Phœnicia (compare Isa 23:2; Ps 72:10). we--emphatical; if Egypt, in which we trusted, was overcome, how shall we, a small weak state, escape?
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-curly-quotes
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
the inhabitants of this isle The land of Israel, who relied on Pharoah for aid.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
shall be broken and ashamed All those who look in expectation upon the aid of Cush and boast of the support of Egypt.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְ֠אָמַר | veamar | and he will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יֹשֵׁ֨ב | yoshev | [one who] dwells | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| הָאִ֣י | hai | the coast | H339 → | 36 times |
| הַזֶּה֮ | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| בַּיּ֣וֹם | baiyom | in the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַהוּא֒ | hahu' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| הִנֵּה־ | hineh- | there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| כֹ֣ה | khoh | [is] thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| מַבָּטֵ֗נוּ | mabatenu | hope our | H4007 → | |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נַ֤סְנוּ | nasnu | we fled | H5127 → | 159 times |
| שָׁם֙ | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| לְעֶזְרָ֔ה | leezrah | for help | H5833 → | 26 times |
| לְהִ֨נָּצֵ֔ל | lehinatzel | to be delivered | H5337 → | 212 times |
| מִפְּנֵ֖י | mipenei | from before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| מֶ֣לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אַשּׁ֑וּר | ʾashur | Assyria | H804 → | 151 times |
| וְאֵ֖יךְ | veeikh | and how? | H349 → | 82 times |
| נִמָּלֵ֥ט | nimalet | will we escape | H4422 → | 95 times |
| אֲנָֽחְנוּ׃ ס | ʾanachenu | we | H587 → | 120 times |
וְ֠אָמַרand he will say
veamarH559 →5305 times
יֹשֵׁ֨ב[one who] dwells
yoshevH3427 →1079 times
הָאִ֣יthe coast
haiH339 →36 times
הַזֶּה֮<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
בַּיּ֣וֹםin the day
baiyomH3117 →2304 times
הַהוּא֒<the> that
hahu'H1931 →1879 times
הִנֵּה־there!
hineh-H2009 →843 times
כֹ֣ה[is] thus
khohH3541 →577 times
מַבָּטֵ֗נוּhope our
mabatenuH4007 →
אֲשֶׁר־where
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
נַ֤סְנוּwe fled
nasnuH5127 →159 times
שָׁם֙there
shamH8033 →834 times
לְעֶזְרָ֔הfor help
leezrahH5833 →26 times
לְהִ֨נָּצֵ֔לto be delivered
lehinatzelH5337 →212 times
מִפְּנֵ֖יfrom before
mipeneiH6440 →2123 times
מֶ֣לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
אַשּׁ֑וּרAssyria
ʾashurH804 →151 times
וְאֵ֖יךְand how?
veeikhH349 →82 times
נִמָּלֵ֥טwill we escape
nimaletH4422 →95 times
אֲנָֽחְנוּ׃ סwe
ʾanachenuH587 →120 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
1 Thessalonians 5:3While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
it leads to
- Luke 21:34–35
But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.
- Matthew 24:37–39
As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
- Luke 17:26–30
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man:
- Revelation 18:7–8
As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow…
- Luke 21:34–35
Through
Hebrews 2:3how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:28–29
Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Hebrews 12:25
See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if…
- Hebrews 10:28–29
Through
Matthew 23:33You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?
it leads to
- Matthew 3:7
But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
- Matthew 12:34
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
- Matthew 3:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Isaiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; Jerome, HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 24 (PSALM 96); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.