Jesaja 20

1 In het jaar, toen Tartan naar Asdod kwam, als hem Sargon, de koning van Assyrie gezonden had, toen hij krijg voerde tegen Asdod, en het innam;

2 Ter zelfder tijd sprak de HEERE, door den dienst van Jesaja, den zoon van Amoz, zeggende: Ga heen, en ontbind den zak van uw lendenen, en doe uw schoenen van uw voeten. En hij deed alzo, gaande naakt en barrevoets.

3 Toen zeide de HEERE: Gelijk als Mijn knecht Jesaja naakt en barrevoets wandelt, drie jaren, tot een teken en wonder over Egypte en over Morenland;

4 Alzo zal de koning van Assyrie voortdrijven de gevangenen der Egyptenaren, en de Moren, die weggevoerd zullen worden, jongen en ouden, naakt en barrevoets, en met blote billen, den Egyptenaren tot schaamte.

5 En zij zullen verschrikken en beschaamd zijn van de Moren, op dewelke zij zagen, en van de Egyptenaars, hun roem.

6 En de inwoners van dit eiland zullen te dien dage zeggen: Ziet, alzo is het gegaan dien, op welken wij zagen, werwaarts wij henenvloden om hulp, om gered te worden van het aangezicht des konings van Assyrie; hoe zullen wij dan ontkomen?

Jesaja 20 Commentary

Chapter 20

The invasion and conquest of Egypt and Ethiopia.

- Isaiah was a sign to the people by his unusual dress, when he walked abroad. He commonly wore sackcloth as a prophet, to show himself mortified to the world. He was to loose this from his loins; to wear no upper garments, and to go barefooted. This sign was to signify, that the Egyptians and Ethiopians should be led away captives by the king of Assyria, thus stripped. The world will often deem believers foolish, when singular in obedience to God. But the Lord will support his servants under the most trying effects of their obedience; and what they are called upon to suffer for his sake, commonly is light, compared with what numbers groan under from year to year from sin. 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. But disappointment in creature-confidences, instead of driving us to despair, should drive us to God, and our expectation shall not be in vain. The same lesson is in force now; and where shall we look for aid in the hour of necessity, but to the Lord our Righteousness?

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 20

This chapter contains a prophecy of the destruction of the Egyptians and Ethiopians by the Assyrians, which had been prophesied of separately in the two preceding chapters Isa 18:1-19:25, and now conjunctly in this: the time of it is given, Isa 20:1 the sign of it, the prophet's walking naked, and barefoot, Isa 20:2 the explanation and accommodation of the sign to the captivity of Egypt and Ethiopia, Isa 20:3,4 the use of this to the Jews, and the effect it had upon them; shame for their trust and dependence on the above nations, and despair of deliverance from the Assyrians by their means, Isa 20:5,6.