Isaiah 20
English Standard Version
A Sign Against Egypt and Cush
20 In the year that (A)the commander in chief, who was sent by Sargon the king of Assyria, came to (B)Ashdod and fought against it and captured it— 2 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 (C)naked and barefoot.
3 Then the Lord said, “As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years (D)as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush,[a] 4 so shall the (E)king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian captives and the Cushite exiles, both the young and the old, naked and barefoot, with buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt. 5 (F)Then they shall be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and of Egypt their boast. 6 And the inhabitants of (G)this coastland will say in that day, ‘Behold, this is what has happened to those in whom we hoped and (H)to whom we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria! And we, how shall we escape?’”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 20:3 Probably Nubia
Isaiah 20
International Standard Version
The Conquest of Egypt and Cush
20 In the year that the supreme commander, sent by Sargon the king of Assyria, came to Ashdod, attacked it, and captured it— 2 at that time the Lord spoke through Amoz’s son Isaiah: “Go loosen the sackcloth that’s around your waist,[a] and take your sandals[b] off your feet.” So that’s what he did: he went around naked and barefoot.
3 Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant Isaiah has walked around naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a warning for Egypt and Ethiopia,[c] 4 so the king of Assyria will lead away the Egyptian captives and exiles from Cush,[d] both the young and the old, naked and barefoot—with even their buttocks uncovered—to the shame[e] of Egypt. 5 Then they will be dismayed and put to shame because of Cush,[f] their hope, and Egypt, their jewel.[g] 6 At that time, the inhabitants of this coastland will say, ‘See, this is what has happened to those on whom we counted and relied[h] for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How, then, can we escape?’”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 20:2 Lit. your hips and lower back
- Isaiah 20:2 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads sandal
- Isaiah 20:3 I.e. Nubia, south of Egypt (modern northern Sudan)
- Isaiah 20:4 I.e. Nubia, south of Egypt (modern northern Sudan)
- Isaiah 20:4 Or nakedness
- Isaiah 20:5 I.e. Nubia, south of Egypt (modern northern Sudan)
- Isaiah 20:5 Or pride
- Isaiah 20:6 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read and to whom we fled
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
