Add parallel Print Page Options

A Sign regarding Egypt and Cush

20 In the year the commander-in-chief came[a] to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and he took it, at that time, Yahweh had spoken by the hand of Isaiah son of Amoz, saying,

“Go and loosen the sackcloth from your loins,
    and take off your sandals[b] from your feet,”

and he had done so, walking naked and barefoot.

Then[c] Yahweh said, “Just as my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush, so shall the king of Assyria lead the captives[d] of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old, naked and barefoot, with bared buttocks,[e] the shame of Egypt.

And they shall be dismayed,
    and they shall be ashamed
because of Cush, their hope,
    and because of Egypt, their pride.

And the inhabitant[f] of the coastland will say this on that day:

‘Look! This is our hope to whom we fled for help, to be delivered from[g] the king of Assyria, and how shall we escape?’”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 20:1 Literally “of the coming of the commander in chief”
  2. Isaiah 20:2 Hebrew “sandal”
  3. Isaiah 20:3 Or “And”
  4. Isaiah 20:4 Hebrew “captive”
  5. Isaiah 20:4 Literally “and bare of buttocks”
  6. Isaiah 20:6 Hebrew “inhabitant”
  7. Isaiah 20:6 Literally “from the face of”

Prophecy about Egypt and Ethiopia

20 In the year that the [a](A)commander came to (B)Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him and he fought against Ashdod and captured it, at that time the Lord spoke through (C)Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go and loosen the (D)sackcloth from your hips and take your (E)sandals off your feet.” And he did so, going (F)naked and barefoot. Then the Lord said, “Even as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot for three years as a (G)sign and symbol against Egypt and [b](H)Cush, so the (I)king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, (J)young and old, naked and barefoot with buttocks uncovered, to the [c]shame of Egypt. Then they will be (K)terrified and ashamed because of Cush their hope and Egypt their (L)pride. So the inhabitants of this coastland will say on that day, ‘Behold, such is our hope, where we fled (M)for help to be saved from the king of Assyria; and (N)how are we ourselves to escape?’”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 20:1 Heb Tartan
  2. Isaiah 20:3 Or Ethiopia, as in vv 4, 5
  3. Isaiah 20:4 Lit nakedness