A Sign Against Egypt and Cush

A Sign Against Egypt and Cush

In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it; Isa. 20:1

in the year... The purpose of this chapter is to warn Israel not to depend upon Egypt and Ethiopia for assistance against the king of Assyria, but to trust in God as the only source of help. Assyria had already conquered Syria and Ephraim and had taken Philistia, so was now ready to come against Judah (2 Kings 16:5-18:37).

Tartan... Tartan was one of the generals of Assyria (2Ki. 17:17).

Sargon... In 711 b.c. Ashdod, a Philistine city, was captured by the commander-in-chief of the Assyrian king Sargon II (722-705). The capture of Ashdod was to signal to the Judahites that they could not count on foreign alliances to protect them, for the Assyrians believed their advances could not be stopped.

At 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. Isa. 20:2

The 22nd prophecy in Isaiah (Isa. 20:2-6, fulfilled). Next, Isa. 21:1.

Four predictions—fulfilled:

1. As Isaiah, a sign and wonder, walked naked (without his outer garment) and barefoot for three years in Israel, so the Assyrians shall lead both Egyptians and Ethiopians naked and barefoot into captivity (Isa. 20:3-4).

2. Egypt will be ashamed of being led away captive in nakedness (Isa. 20:4).

3. Judah shall be afraid and ashamed of their trust in both Egypt and Ethiopia (Isa. 20:5).

4. Judah shall say in that day that such is what we get for trusting in them—where shall we flee to for help to be delivered from the Assyrians (Isa. 20:6)?

Isaiah a Sign

go and loose... God made Isaiah a sign and a wonder to his people by his walking among them for three years naked and barefooted (Isa. 20:2-3). He was not nude; he simply laid aside his special prophetic garment, his outer robe, as Saul did (1Sa. 19:24), and David who was naked but still had on a linen ephod (2Sa. 6:14-21). These kings merely put off their royal robes, just as Peter put off his outer garment so that he could fish (John 21:7). Isaiah’s outer robe was evidently sackcloth of coarse goat hair, for the prophets wore rough clothing as their prophetic garments (1Ki. 1:8; Mat. 3:4). False prophets were forbidden to wear rough garments to deceive (Zec. 13:4).

And 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; Isa. 20:3

for a sign... The three years here must be the same as those mentioned in Isa. 16:14. Within three years Moab, Egypt, and Ethiopia were to be destroyed. This object lesson was to show how the Egyptians and Cushites would be treated by the victorious Assyrian forces.

So 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. Isa. 20:4

shall the king... When those nations (Egypt and Cush) would fall to the Assyrians (Isa. 20:4).

And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.. Isa. 20:5

they shall be... the Judahites who thought an alliance with those countries would help them would be afraid and ashamed (Isa. 20:5).

And 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? (Isa. 20:6)

the inhabitants of... The word isle is often used of any coastal or maritime country. Here it is applied to Palestine on the Mediterranean.

how shall we... They learned that their escape was Jehovah; He sent an angel who killed 185,000 Assyrians and caused the others to flee (Isa. 37:36-38). People would realize that if Egypt and Cush had fallen to Assyria, then they had no chance for escape (Isa. 20:6).