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Isaiah 20:2 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

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2 At the same time H6256 spake H1696 the LORD H3068 by H3027 Isaiah H3470 the son H1121 of Amoz, H531 saying, H559 Go H3212 and loose H6605 the sackcloth H8242 from off thy loins, H4975 and put off H2502 thy shoe H5275 from thy foot. H7272 And he did so, H6213 walking H1980 naked H6174 and barefoot. H3182

Cross Reference

Jeremiah 19:1-15 STRONG

KJV ASV YLT DARBY WEB BBE

Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Go H1980 and get H7069 a potter's H3335 earthen H2789 bottle, H1228 and take of the ancients H2205 of the people, H5971 and of the ancients H2205 of the priests; H3548 And go forth H3318 unto the valley H1516 of the son H1121 of Hinnom, H2011 which is by the entry H6607 of the east H2777 gate, H8179 and proclaim H7121 there the words H1697 that I shall tell H1696 thee, And say, H559 Hear H8085 ye the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 O kings H4428 of Judah, H3063 and inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem; H3389 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Behold, I will bring H935 evil H7451 upon this place, H4725 the which whosoever heareth, H8085 his ears H241 shall tingle. H6750 Because they have forsaken H5800 me, and have estranged H5234 this place, H4725 and have burned incense H6999 in it unto other H312 gods, H430 whom neither they nor their fathers H1 have known, H3045 nor the kings H4428 of Judah, H3063 and have filled H4390 this place H4725 with the blood H1818 of innocents; H5355 They have built H1129 also the high places H1116 of Baal, H1168 to burn H8313 their sons H1121 with fire H784 for burnt offerings H5930 unto Baal, H1168 which I commanded H6680 not, nor spake H1696 it, neither came H5927 it into my mind: H3820 Therefore, behold, the days H3117 come, H935 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 that this place H4725 shall no more be called H7121 Tophet, H8612 nor The valley H1516 of the son H1121 of Hinnom, H2011 but The valley H1516 of slaughter. H2028 And I will make void H1238 the counsel H6098 of Judah H3063 and Jerusalem H3389 in this place; H4725 and I will cause them to fall H5307 by the sword H2719 before H6440 their enemies, H341 and by the hands H3027 of them that seek H1245 their lives: H5315 and their carcases H5038 will I give H5414 to be meat H3978 for the fowls H5775 of the heaven, H8064 and for the beasts H929 of the earth. H776 And I will make H7760 this city H5892 desolate, H8047 and an hissing; H8322 every one that passeth H5674 thereby shall be astonished H8074 and hiss H8319 because of all the plagues H4347 thereof. And I will cause them to eat H398 the flesh H1320 of their sons H1121 and the flesh H1320 of their daughters, H1323 and they shall eat H398 every one H376 the flesh H1320 of his friend H7453 in the siege H4692 and straitness, H4689 wherewith their enemies, H341 and they that seek H1245 their lives, H5315 shall straiten H6693 them. Then shalt thou break H7665 the bottle H1228 in the sight H5869 of the men H582 that go H1980 with thee, And shalt say H559 unto them, Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 Even so H3602 will I break H7665 this people H5971 and this city, H5892 as one breaketh H7665 a potter's H3335 vessel, H3627 that cannot H3201 be made whole again: H7495 and they shall bury H6912 them in Tophet, H8612 till there be no place H4725 to bury. H6912 Thus will I do H6213 unto this place, H4725 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 and to the inhabitants H3427 thereof, and even make H5414 this city H5892 as Tophet: H8612 And the houses H1004 of Jerusalem, H3389 and the houses H1004 of the kings H4428 of Judah, H3063 shall be defiled H2931 as the place H4725 of Tophet, H8612 because of all the houses H1004 upon whose roofs H1406 they have burned incense H6999 unto all the host H6635 of heaven, H8064 and have poured out H5258 drink offerings H5262 unto other H312 gods. H430 Then came H935 Jeremiah H3414 from Tophet, H8612 whither the LORD H3068 had sent H7971 him to prophesy; H5012 and he stood H5975 in the court H2691 of the LORD'S H3068 house; H1004 and said H559 to all the people, H5971 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Behold, I will bring H935 upon this city H5892 and upon all her towns H5892 all the evil H7451 that I have pronounced H1696 against it, because they have hardened H7185 their necks, H6203 that they might not hear H8085 my words. H1697

Jeremiah 13:1-11 STRONG

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Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 unto me, Go H1980 and get H7069 thee a linen H6593 girdle, H232 and put H7760 it upon thy loins, H4975 and put H935 it not in water. H4325 So I got H7069 a girdle H232 according to the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 and put H7760 it on my loins. H4975 And the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto me the second time, H8145 saying, H559 Take H3947 the girdle H232 that thou hast got, H7069 which is upon thy loins, H4975 and arise, H6965 go H3212 to Euphrates, H6578 and hide H2934 it there in a hole H5357 of the rock. H5553 So I went, H3212 and hid H2934 it by Euphrates, H6578 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 me. And it came to pass after H7093 many H7227 days, H3117 that the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, Arise, H6965 go H3212 to Euphrates, H6578 and take H3947 the girdle H232 from thence, which I commanded H6680 thee to hide H2934 there. Then I went H3212 to Euphrates, H6578 and digged, H2658 and took H3947 the girdle H232 from the place H4725 where I had hid H2934 it: and, behold, the girdle H232 was marred, H7843 it was profitable H6743 for nothing. Then the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto me, saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 After this manner will I mar H7843 the pride H1347 of Judah, H3063 and the great H7227 pride H1347 of Jerusalem. H3389 This evil H7451 people, H5971 which refuse H3987 to hear H8085 my words, H1697 which walk H1980 in the imagination H8307 of their heart, H3820 and walk H3212 after H310 other H312 gods, H430 to serve H5647 them, and to worship H7812 them, shall even be as this girdle, H232 which is good H6743 for nothing. For as the girdle H232 cleaveth H1692 to the loins H4975 of a man, H376 so have I caused to cleave H1692 unto me the whole house H1004 of Israel H3478 and the whole house H1004 of Judah, H3063 saith H5002 the LORD; H3068 that they might be unto me for a people, H5971 and for a name, H8034 and for a praise, H8416 and for a glory: H8597 but they would not hear. H8085

Job 1:20-21 STRONG

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Then Job H347 arose, H6965 and rent H7167 his mantle, H4598 and shaved H1494 his head, H7218 and fell down H5307 upon the ground, H776 and worshipped, H7812 And said, H559 Naked H6174 came I out H3318 of my mother's H517 womb, H990 and naked H6174 shall I return H7725 thither: the LORD H3068 gave, H5414 and the LORD H3068 hath taken away; H3947 blessed H1288 be the name H8034 of the LORD. H3068

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Isaiah 20

Commentary on Isaiah 20 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 20

This chapter is a prediction of the carrying away of multitudes both of the Egyptians and the Ethiopians into captivity by the king of Assyria. Here is,

  • I. the sign by which this was foretold, which was the prophet's going for some time barefoot and almost naked, like a poor captive (v. 1-2).
  • II. The explication of that sign, with application to Egypt and Ethiopia (v. 3-5).
  • III. The good use which the people of God should make of this, which is never to trust in an arm of flesh, because thus it will deceive them (v. 6).

Isa 20:1-6

God here, as King of nations, brings a sore calamity upon Egypt and Ethiopia, but, as King of saints, brings good to his people out of it. Observe,

  • I. The date of this prophecy. It was in the year that Ashdod, a strong city of the Philistines (but which some think was lately recovered from them by Hezekiah, when he smote the Philistines even unto Gaza, 2 Ki. 18:8), was besieged and taken by an army of the Assyrians. It is uncertain what year of Hezekiah that was, but the event was so remarkable that those who lived then could by that token fix the time to a year. He that was now king of Assyria is called Sargon, which some take to be the same with Sennacherib; others think he was his immediate predecessor, and succeeded Shalmaneser. Tartan, who was general, or commander-in-chief, in this expedition, was one of Sennacherib's officers, sent by him to bid defiance to Hezekiah, in concurrence with Rabshakeh, 2 Ki. 18:17.
  • II. The making of Isaiah a sign, by his unusual dress when he walked abroad. He had been a sign to his own people of the melancholy times that had come and were coming upon them, by the sackcloth which for some time he had worn, of which he had a gown made, which he girt about him. Some think he put himself into that habit of a mourner upon occasion of the captivity of the ten tribes. Others think sackcloth was what he commonly wore as a prophet, to show himself mortified to the world, and that he might learn to endure hardness; soft clothing better becomes those that attend in king's palaces (Mt. 11:8) than those that go on God's errands. Elijah wore hair-cloth (2 Ki. 1:8), and John Baptist (Mt. 3:4) and those that pretended to be prophets supported their pretension by wearing rough garments (Zec. 13:4); but Isaiah has orders given him to loose his sackcloth from his loins, not to exchange it for better clothing, but for none at all-no upper garment, no mantle, cloak, or coat, but only that which was next to him, we may suppose his shirt, waistcoat, and drawers; and he must put off his shoes, and go barefoot; so that compared with the dress of others, and what he himself usually wore, he might be said to go naked. This was a great hardship upon the prophet; it was a blemish to his reputation, and would expose him to contempt and ridicule; the boys in the streets would hoot at him, and those who sought occasion against him would say, The prophet is indeed a fool, and the spiritual man is mad, Hosea 9:7. It might likewise be a prejudice to his health; he was in danger of catching a cold, which might throw him into a fever, and cost him his life; but God bade him do it, that he might give a proof of his obedience to God in a most difficult command, and so shame the disobedience of his people to the most easy and reasonable precepts. When we are in the way of our duty we may trust God both with our credit and with our safety. The hearts of that people were strangely stupid, and would not be affected with what they only heard, but must be taught by signs, and therefore Isaiah must do this for their edification. If the dress was scandalous, yet the design was glorious, and what a prophet of the Lord needed not to be ashamed of.
  • III. The exposition of this sign, v. 3, 4. It was intended to signify that the Egyptians and the Ethiopians should be led away captive by the king of Assyria, thus stripped, or in rags, and very shabby clothing, as Isaiah was. God calls him his servant Isaiah, because in this matter particularly he had approved himself God's willing, faithful, obedient servant; and for this very thing, which perhaps others laughed at him for, God gloried in him. To obey is better than sacrifice; it pleases God and praises him more, and shall be more praised by him. Isaiah is said to have walked naked and barefoot three years, whenever in that time he appeared as a prophet. But some refer the three years, not to the sign, but to the thing signified: He has walked naked and barefoot; there is a stop in the original; provided he did so once that was enough to give occasion to all about him to enquire what was the meaning of his doing so; or, as some think, he did it three days, a day for a year; and this for a three years' sign and wonder, for a sign of that which should be done three years afterwards or which should be three years in the doing. Three campaigns successively shall the Assyrian army make, in spoiling the Egyptians and Ethiopians, and carrying them away captive in this barbarous manner, not only the soldiers taken in the field of battle, but the inhabitants, young and old; and it being a very piteous sight, and such as must needs move compassion in those that had the least degree of tenderness left them to see those who had gone all their days well dressed now stripped, and scarcely having rags to cover their nakedness, that circumstance of their captivity is particularly taken notice of, and foretold, the more to affect those to whom this prophecy was delivered. It is particularly said to be to the shame of Egypt (v. 4), because the Egyptians were a proud people, and therefore when they did fall into disgrace it was the more shameful to them; and the higher they had lifted up themselves the lower was their fall, both in their own eyes and in the eyes of others.
  • IV. The use and application of this, v. 5, 6.
    • 1. All that had any dependence upon, or correspondence with, Egypt and Ethiopia, should now be ashamed of them, and afraid of having any thing to do with them. Those countries that were in danger of being overrun by the Assyrians expected that Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, with his numerous forces, would put a stop to the progress of their victorious arms, and be a barrier to his neighbours; and with yet more assurance they gloried that Egypt, a kingdom so famous for policy and prowess, would do their business, would oblige them to raise the siege of Ashdod and retire with precipitation. But, instead of this, by attempting to oppose the king of Assyria they did but expose themselves and make their country a prey to him. Hereupon all about them were ashamed that ever they promised themselves any advantage from two such weak and cowardly nations, and were more afraid now than ever they were of the growing greatness of the king of Assyria, before whom Egypt and Ethiopia proved but as briers and thorns put to stop a consuming fire, which do but make it burn the more strongly. Note, Those who make any creature their expectation and glory, and so put it in the place of God, will sooner or later be ashamed of it, and their disappointment in it will but increase their fear. See Eze. 29:6, 7.
    • 2. The Jews in particular should be convinced of their folly in resting upon such broken reeds, and should despair of any relief from them (v. 6): The inhabitants of this isle (the land of Judah, situated upon the sea, though not surrounded by it), of this country (so the margin); every one shall now have his eyes opened, and shall say, "Behold, such is our expectation, so vain, so foolish, and this is that which it will come to. We have fled for help to the Egyptians and Ethiopians, and have hoped by them to be delivered from the king of Assyria; but, now that they are broken thus, how shall we escape, that are not able to bring such armies into the field as they did?' Note,
      • (1.) Those that confide in creatures will be disappointed, and will be made ashamed of their confidence; for vain is the help of man, and in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills or the height and multitude of the mountains.
      • (2.) Disappointment in creature confidences, instead of driving us to despair, as here (how shall we escape?), should drive us to God; for, if we flee to him for help, our expectation shall not be frustrated.