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A 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 Yahweh spoke by the hand of (C)Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go and loosen the (D)sackcloth from your hips and take your (E)shoes off your feet.” And he did so, going (F)naked and barefoot. And Yahweh said, “Even as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years as a (G)sign and wonder against Egypt and [b](H)Ethiopia, so the (I)king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Ethiopia, (J)young and old, naked and barefoot with buttocks uncovered, to the [c]shame of Egypt. Then they will be (K)dismayed and ashamed because of Ethiopia their hope and Egypt their (L)boast. So the inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day, ‘Behold, such is our hope, where we fled (M)for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria; and we, (N)how shall we escape?’”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 20:1 Heb Tartan
  2. Isaiah 20:3 Or Cush, so in vv 4, 5, cf. Gen 10:6
  3. Isaiah 20:4 Lit nakedness

No Help from Cush or Egypt

20 In the year that the chief commander,(A) sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod(B) and attacked and captured it— during that time the Lord had spoken through Isaiah(C) son of Amoz, saying, “Go, take off your sackcloth[a] and remove the sandals from your feet,” and he did so, going naked and barefoot(D) the Lord said, “As My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush,(E) so the king of Assyria will lead the captives of Egypt(F) and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, naked and barefoot, with bared buttocks—to Egypt’s shame. Those who made Cush their hope and Egypt their boast will be dismayed and ashamed.(G) And the inhabitants of this coastland will say on that day, ‘Look, this is what has happened to those we relied on and fled to for help to rescue us from the king of Assyria! Now, how will we escape?’”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 20:2 Lit off the sackcloth from your loins