1Sargon, the king of Assyria, sent his highest commander to the city of Ashdod. He attacked it and captured it.2Three years earlier the LORD had spoken to Isaiah, the son of Amoz. The LORD had said, ‘Take off the rough clothing you are wearing. And take off your sandals.’ So Isaiah did. He went around barefoot and naked.3After Ashdod was captured, the LORD said, ‘My servant Isaiah has gone around barefoot and naked for three years. He is a sign and reminder to Egypt and Cush about what will happen to them.4The king of Assyria will lead prisoners away from Egypt and Cush. Young people and old people alike will be taken away. Like Isaiah, they will be barefoot and naked. Their backsides will be bare. So the Egyptians will be put to shame.5People trusted in Cush to help them. They boasted about what Egypt could do for them. But they will lose heart and be put to shame.6At that time the people who live on the coast of Philistia will speak up. They will say, “See what has happened to those we depended on! We ran to them for help. We wanted them to save us from the king of Assyria. Now how can we escape?” ’
Isaiah 20
English Standard Version
A Sign Against Egypt and Cush
1In the year that the commander in chief, who was sent by Sargon the king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and fought against it and captured it— (1Sa 5:1; 2Ki 18:17)2at that time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and loose the sackcloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet,” and he did so, walking naked and barefoot. (1Sa 19:24; Mic 1:8; Mic 1:11)3Then the Lord said, “As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush,[1] (Isa 8:18)4so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian captives and the Cushite exiles, both the young and the old, naked and barefoot, with buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt. (Isa 19:4)5Then they shall be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and of Egypt their boast. (Isa 30:3; Isa 30:5; Isa 37:9)6And the inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day, ‘Behold, this is what has happened to those in whom we hoped and to whom we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria! And we, how shall we escape?’” (Isa 14:29; Isa 14:31; Isa 37:6; Jer 47:7)