Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word
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⚙ Annotations & References ▾
People 1 ▾
Isaiah Divided Monarchy 2-3
Speakers 2 ▾
Isaiah human 1-2, 4-6 God divine 3
Historic voices 5 ▾
Homilies on Matthew 1× 2 John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible 1× 1-6 Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament 1× 1, 3, 5 Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary 1× 1 Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary 1× 2-6
Manuscript witnesses 6 ▾
Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa-a) c. 125 BC Codex Sinaiticus Aleph c. AD 330-360 Codex Vaticanus B c. AD 300-325 Codex Alexandrinus A c. AD 400-440 Aleppo Codex (Crown of Aleppo) c. AD 930 Leningrad Codex (Codex Leningradensis) AD 1008
Cross-references 23 ▾
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What is Isaiah 20 about?

Dated to the year the Assyrian commander captured Ashdod, the sign that follows is enacted in Isaiah's own body. At the LORD's command the prophet walks stripped and barefoot for three years as a warning that the king of Assyria will lead Egypt and Cush away captive, naked and barefoot, to their shame. Those who trusted in Egypt and Cush as their hope and glory will be dismayed, and the coastland peoples will ask how they themselves can escape. The living sign exposes the folly of leaning on Egypt rather than the LORD, pressing home the book's call to trust God alone against Assyria.

Historical backdrop

Assyria was the terror of the age, its armies driving west with siege ramps and cavalry, dragging conquered peoples into exile. In Isaiah's lifetime the northern kingdom fell and vanished, its ten tribes deported, and Sennacherib's host came up against the fortified cities of Judah until Jerusalem alone stood, surrounded. Isaiah prophesied in that shadow, in the court of Jerusalem across four kings, while the largest empire the world had yet seen closed its hand on the small kingdoms of the Levant.

Matthew Henry on Isaiah 20
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Isaiah 20
The Church Fathers on Isaiah 20

Isaiah 20

Isaiah Chapter 20
20

1In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it; 2at that time Jehovah spake by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go, and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put thy shoe from off thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

3And Jehovah said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia; 4so shall the king of Assyria lead away the captives of Egypt, and the exiles of Ethiopia, young and old, naked and barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. 5And they shall be dismayed and confounded, because of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory. 6And 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?

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What is Isaiah 20 about?

Dated to the year the Assyrian commander captured Ashdod, the sign that follows is enacted in Isaiah's own body. At the LORD's command the prophet walks stripped and barefoot for three years as a warning that the king of Assyria will lead Egypt and Cush away captive, naked and barefoot, to their shame. Those who trusted in Egypt and Cush as their hope and glory will be dismayed, and the coastland peoples will ask how they themselves can escape. The living sign exposes the folly of leaning on Egypt rather than the LORD, pressing home the book's call to trust God alone against Assyria.