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Isaiah 20:3 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

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3 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 Like as my servant H5650 Isaiah H3470 hath walked H1980 naked H6174 and barefoot H3182 three H7969 years H8141 for a sign H226 and wonder H4159 upon Egypt H4714 and upon Ethiopia; H3568

Cross Reference

Isaiah 18:1-7 STRONG

KJV ASV YLT DARBY WEB BBE

Woe H1945 to the land H776 shadowing H6767 with wings, H3671 which is beyond H5676 the rivers H5104 of Ethiopia: H3568 That sendeth H7971 ambassadors H6735 by the sea, H3220 even in vessels H3627 of bulrushes H1573 upon H6440 the waters, H4325 saying, Go, H3212 ye swift H7031 messengers, H4397 to a nation H1471 scattered H4900 and peeled, H4178 to a people H5971 terrible H3372 from their beginning hitherto; H1973 a nation H1471 meted out H6978 and trodden down, H4001 whose land H776 the rivers H5104 have spoiled! H958 All ye inhabitants H3427 of the world, H8398 and dwellers H7931 on the earth, H776 see H7200 ye, when he lifteth up H5375 an ensign H5251 on the mountains; H2022 and when he bloweth H8628 a trumpet, H7782 hear H8085 ye. For so H3541 the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, I will take my rest, H8252 and I will consider H5027 in my dwelling place H4349 like a clear H6703 heat H2527 upon herbs, H216 and like a cloud H5645 of dew H2919 in the heat H2527 of harvest. H7105 For afore H6440 the harvest, H7105 when the bud H6525 is perfect, H8552 and the sour grape H1155 is ripening H1580 in the flower, H5328 he shall both cut off H3772 the sprigs H2150 with pruning hooks, H4211 and take away H5493 and cut down H8456 the branches. H5189 They shall be left H5800 together H3162 unto the fowls H5861 of the mountains, H2022 and to the beasts H929 of the earth: H776 and the fowls H5861 shall summer H6972 upon them, and all the beasts H929 of the earth H776 shall winter H2778 upon them. In that time H6256 shall the present H7862 be brought H2986 unto the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 of a people H5971 scattered H4900 and peeled, H4178 and from a people H5971 terrible H3372 from their beginning hitherto; H1973 a nation H1471 meted out H6978 and trodden under foot, H4001 whose land H776 the rivers H5104 have spoiled, H958 to the place H4725 of the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the mount H2022 Zion. H6726

Ezekiel 4:5-6 STRONG

KJV ASV YLT DARBY WEB BBE

For I have laid H5414 upon thee the years H8141 of their iniquity, H5771 according to the number H4557 of the days, H3117 three H7969 hundred H3967 and ninety H8673 days: H3117 so shalt thou bear H5375 the iniquity H5771 of the house H1004 of Israel. H3478 And when thou hast accomplished H3615 them, H428 lie H7901 again H8145 on thy right H3233 H3227 side, H6654 and thou shalt bear H5375 the iniquity H5771 of the house H1004 of Judah H3063 forty H705 days: H3117 I have appointed H5414 thee each day H3117 H3117 for a year. H8141 H8141

Revelation 11:2-3 STRONG

KJV ASV YLT DARBY WEB BBE

But G2532 the court G833 which G3588 is without G1855 G2081 the temple G3485 leave G1544 out, G1854 and G2532 measure G3354 it G846 not; G3361 for G3754 it is given G1325 unto the Gentiles: G1484 and G2532 the holy G40 city G4172 shall they tread under foot G3961 forty G5062 and two G1417 months. G3376 And G2532 I will give G1325 power unto my G3450 two G1417 witnesses, G3144 and G2532 they shall prophesy G4395 a thousand G5507 two hundred G1250 and threescore G1835 days, G2250 clothed in G4016 sackcloth. G4526

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.