Isaiah

Chapter 20

Isaiah's Sign of Captivity for Egypt and Ethiopia

In the year Tartan came unto Ashdod and took it, the LORD commanded Isaiah to loose the sackcloth from his loins and put off his shoe, and he walked naked and barefoot. The LORD declared that as His servant Isaiah walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and Ethiopia, so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners and Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, to the shame of Egypt. The inhabitants of the coastlands shall see this and say: Behold, such is our expectation to whom we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria—and how shall we escape?

Isaiah's symbolic signCaptivity of Egypt and EthiopiaShame and exposureFailed expectations

¹In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it;

²At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

³And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;

⁴So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.

⁵And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.

⁶And 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?

Ch. 1920 of 66Ch. 21