Isaiah 20:3
1 Before the year that the chief commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it,
2 the LORD had already spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and the sandals from your feet.” And Isaiah did so, walking around naked and barefoot.
Then the LORD said, “Just as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush,
4 so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, naked and barefoot, with bared buttocks—to Egypt’s shame.
5 Those who made Cush their hope and Egypt their boast will be dismayed and ashamed.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Then the LORD said, “Just as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush,
- KJV
- 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;
- WEB
- The LORD said, “As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia,
- ASV
- And 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;
- DARBY
- And Jehovah said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years, a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia,
- BLB
- And YHWH said, “As My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years as a sign and a wonder against Egypt and against Cush,
- ÅB
- Da sa Herren: Slik som min tjener Jesaja har gått naken og barfotet og nå i tre år har vært et tegn og varsel om Egypt og Etiopia,
- OTB
- Da sa Herren: «Slik som min tjener Jesaja har gått naken og barfot i tre år som et tegn og symbol mot Egypt og Kusj,
- B1930
- Da sa Herren: Likesom min tjener Esaias har gått naken og barfotet og nu i tre år har vært et tegn og varsel om Egypten og Etiopia,
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Isaiah 8:18
Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me as signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.
Read in contextIsaiah 18:1–7
Woe to the land of whirring wings, along the rivers of Cush,
Read in contextNumbers 14:34
In keeping with the forty days you spied out the land, you shall bear your guilt forty years—a year for each day—and you will experience My alienation.
Read in contextEzekiel 4:5–6
For I have assigned to you 390 days, according to the number of years of their iniquity. So you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.
Read in contextIsaiah 43:3
For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place.
Read in contextIsaiah 37:9
Now Sennacherib had been warned about Tirhakah king of Cush: “He has set out to fight against you.” On hearing this, Sennacherib sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,
Read in contextRevelation 11:2–3
But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.
Read in context