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Isaiah 20
A rare dated narrative breaks into the oracles: the year Assyria's commander Tartan, sent by Sargon, captured Ashdod. Against that backdrop the LORD tells Isaiah to strip off his sackcloth and sandals and walk naked and barefoot. The prophet's own body becomes the message.
- 1
In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it;
- 2
at that time the LORD spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and loosen the sackcloth from off your waist, and take your sandals from off your feet.” He did so, walking naked and barefoot.
- 3
The LORD said, “As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia,
- 4
so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Ethiopia, young and old, naked and barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.
- 5
They will be dismayed and confounded, because of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.
- 6
The inhabitants of this coast land will say in that day, ‘Behold, this is our expectation, where we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria. And we, how will we escape?’”
A three-year walking sign
The act runs three years (v.3) as a sign that Assyria will march off the captives of Egypt and Cush, stripped and shamed. The point lands on Judah: anyone tempted to trust Egypt or Cush for rescue from Assyria is watching their hope led away in chains. The closing line voices the panic of the coastland: "how will we escape?" (v.6).
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