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Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

THE PROPHET ISAIAH

CHAPTER TWENTY:
AGAINST EGYPT AND PHILISTIA

Isaiah 20:1, 2 – Isaiah as a Naked Portent

IS20:1 During the year when the Tartan-general 793 [of Assyria] arrived in Ashdod 794 [of Philistia] – when the king of Assyria Sargon 795 sent him – he attacked Ashdod and captured it.

793	Tartan-general: A designation for an Assyrian general. TARTAN is the Hebrew word [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #8661, Tartan-field marshal, general, or commander]. See 2 Kings 18:17]

794	Ashdod: A key city of the Philistines first mentioned in Joshua 11:22. The place-name is mentioned in Sennacherib’s Prism.

795	Sargon: The name means “Legal King” and only occurs here. Called “Sargon II” by some historians. He has been identified in archaeological finds.

IS20:2 At that time Y^eH^oW^aH proclaimed by means of Isaiah son of Amoz, saying: “Go [Isaiah], remove the sackcloth 796 from around your hips and thighs, and remove the sandals from your feet.” And just so, Isaiah did as he was told, walking about naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a wonder against Egypt and Ethiopia. 797

796	Remove the sackcloth: When Isaiah responded to the call with “Here I am, send me,” he probably did not expect this divine assignment. As a living portent he walked about naked for three years. Compare other prophets. [1 Samuel 19:24; Micah 1:8] The walking image is one of shame and grief.

797	Against Egypt and Ethiopia: Or, Nubia, Cush. The naked portent is a message of these two African countries.

Isaiah 20:3-6 – In Three Years Egypt and Ethiopia Conquered

IS20:3 Then Y^eH^oW^aH said: “Just as My servant Isaiah is walking about naked and barefoot three years as a sign and a wonder 798 against Egypt and Ethiopia,

798	Sign and a wonder: Or, LXX: signs and wonders. Remember Isaiah 8:18.

IS20:4 just so will the king of Assyria carry off prisoners from Egypt. Also the exiles of Ethiopia – both young and old, naked and barefoot, with backsides stripped 799 – will embarrass Egypt. 800

799	Backsides stripped: Or, RHM: their persons behind uncovered; JPS: bared buttocks; KJV: buttocks uncovered. There are ancient murals and reliefs showing prisoners being led off naked as conquered enemies.

800	Embarrass Egypt: Or, KJV: the shame of Egypt; NJB: to the shame of; LXX: having the shame of Egypt exposed. [Jeremiah 13:22; Micah 1:11]

IS20:5 In this manner they will be dumfounded and turn ashen, 801 all because of their expected hopes in Ethiopia 802 – boasting in the help of Egypt. 803

801	Dumfounded and turn ashen: Or, LXX: being defeated shall be ashamed; RHM: confounded and turn pale; JPS: dismayed and chagrined; NJB: afraid and ashamed.

802	Expected hopes in Ethiopia: Or, KJV: expectation; NJB: their hopes; JPS: Nubia their hope; LXX: in whom they had trusted. [Psalm 146:3]

803	Boasting in the help of Egypt: Or, LXX: for they were their glory; RHM: their boast [footnote: glorying]; JPS: their boast; NJB: their pride. [2 Kings 18:21; Isaiah 30:3; 36:6; Jeremiah 17:5; Ezekiel 29:6]

IS20:6 In that day the inhabitants along this coast 804 will burst out, ‘Behold! The outcome to our expected hopes! 805 [Gone is] where we could flee for help in order to be delivered from the face of the king of Assyria! How will we ever escape?”

804	Inhabitants along this coast: Or, JPS: dwellers of this coastland; RHM: inhabitants of his shore; LXX: they that dwell in this island. Some think this to be Tanis, a town in the Nile delta.

805	Outcome to our expected hopes: Or, LXX: we trusted to flee to them; RHM: our expectation; JPS: if this could happen to those we looked to; NJB: NJB: look what has happened to our hope. [Isaiah 30:2; 31:1]