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,
Isaiah 20:1,2.
II. The explication of that sign, with application to Egypt and
Ethiopia,
Isaiah 20:3-5.
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,
Isaiah 20:6.
Threatenings against Egypt.
B. C. 713.
1 In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the
king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took
it;
2 At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz,
saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put
off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and
barefoot.
3 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;
4 So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians
prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and
barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of
Egypt.
5 And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their
expectation, and of Egypt their glory.
6 And the inhabitant of this isle shall say in that day,
Behold, such is our expectation, whither we flee for help to be
delivered from the king of Assyria: and how shall we escape?
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 Kings 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 Kings 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
(Matthew 11:8)
than those that go on God's errands. Elijah wore hair-cloth
(2 Kings 1:8),
and John Baptist
(Matthew 3:4)
and those that pretended to be prophets supported their pretension by
wearing rough garments
(Zechariah 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,
Isaiah 20:3,4.
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
(Isaiah 20:4),
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,
Isaiah 20:5,6.
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
Ezekiel 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
(Isaiah 20:6):
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.
Matthew Henry "Verse by Verse Commentary for 'Isaiah' Matthew Henry Bible Commentary".
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