Isaiah's Sign against Egypt and Cush
Isaiah 20:1-6
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Isa.20.1 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- בשנת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,cons
- בא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- תרתן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אשדודה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בשלח: PREP+VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אתו: PRON,3,m,sg,acc
- סרגון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אשור: NOUN,prop,m,sg
- וילחם: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- באשדוד: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וילכדה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
Parallels
- 2 Kings 18:17 (verbal): Uses the title Tartan sent by the king of Assyria — same Assyrian military title as in Isaiah 20:1, linking Assyrian envoys/campaigns in Israelite narratives.
- 2 Kings 17:3-6 (thematic): Describes Assyrian military intervention and the capture/deportation of Israelite cities by the king of Assyria — parallels the historical context of Assyrian campaigns that include cities like Ashdod.
- Isaiah 7:1 (structural): Isaiah dates his prophecies by contemporaneous military events and royal reigns (’in the days/ year that…’) — same prophetic dating formula used in Isa 20:1 to anchor the oracle historically.
- Sargon II, Annals (Assyrian inscriptions, c. 711 BCE) (allusion): Extra‑biblical Assyrian records credit Sargon II with campaigns in Philistia and the capture of Ashdod; corroborates the historical event referenced in Isaiah 20:1 (Sargon as king of Assyria who sent a Tartan).
Alternative generated candidates
- In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod—when Sargon king of Assyria sent him—and he fought against Ashdod and captured it.
- In the year that the Tartan came to Ashdod—when Sargon king of Assyria sent him—and he fought at Ashdod and took it.
Isa.20.2 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- בעת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ההיא: DEM,f,sg
- דבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ביד: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ישעיהו: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אמוץ: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לאמר: INF,qal,infc
- לך: PRON,2,m,sg
- ופתחת: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- השק: NOUN,m,sg,def
- מעל: PREP
- מתניך: NOUN,f,pl,poss:2,m
- ונעלך: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs+2ms
- תחלץ: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- מעל: PREP
- רגליך: NOUN,f,pl,abs,poss,2,f
- ויעש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- כן: ADV
- הלך: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ערום: ADJ,m,sg
- ויחף: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Ezek.4:1-8 (structural): נבואת־מעשה: פקודת אלוהים לנביא לבצע אות פיזי בציבור (שכיבה על צד/מעשה סימלי) ככלי נבואי להמחשה של שיפוט ושעבוד — מקבילה במבנה לפקודה לישעיהו ללכת ערום ויחף.
- Jer.13:1-11 (structural): שימוש בפריט לבוש כסימן נבואי: תרומת חגורת פשתן והפיכתה לחסרת ערכה כסמל לשפלות העם ולשבי — דומה ברעיון של שימוש בבגדים/חסרתם כסמל נבואי לשיפוט.
- Deut.28:48 (verbal): שפה של קללה ונידוי: תיאור הגורל כ'עירומים ויחפים' (או 'ערומים וחסרי כל') — ביטוי תיאורי הדומה לשפתו של ישעיהו לגבי הבושה וההשפלה.
- Isa.47:3 (thematic): חשיפת ערוות ובושת אומה כנוהג שיפוטי: נבואה על חשיפת 'ערוותך' ובושתך כצו שיפוטי כנגד ממלכה — מוטיב דומה של השפלה לאומית באמצעות חשיפה.
- Nah.3:5 (thematic): תיאורי חשיפה והשפלה של ערים־אומות (הרמת חצאיות/חשיפה) — תמונה נבואית של השפלה ציבורית המקבילה למוטיב 'הליכה ערומה ויחפה' כציון להשפלה לאומית.
Alternative generated candidates
- At that time the LORD spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, "Go, remove the sackcloth from your loins and take off your sandals from your feet." And he did so; he walked naked and barefoot.
- At that time the LORD spoke by Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, remove the sackcloth from your loins and take your sandals off your feet.” And he did so; he walked naked and barefoot.
Isa.20.3 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- כאשר: CONJ
- הלך: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- עבדי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- ישעיהו: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ערום: ADJ,m,sg
- ויחף: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- שלש: NUM,card,f,sg
- שנים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- אות: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ומופת: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- על: PREP
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ועל: CONJ+PREP
- כוש: NOUN,prop,sg,m
Parallels
- Ezek. 4:1-8 (structural): Ezekiel enacts a prolonged, physical sign (lying on his side for a set number of days, baking bread over dung) to symbolize siege and exile—parallel use of a prophetic sign-act and specified duration.
- Ezek. 12:3-16 (structural): Ezekiel performs a dramatic, mimetic action (packing belongings and leaving through a hole) as a sign of impending deportation, similar to Isaiah’s enacted demonstration against Egypt and Cush.
- Jer. 13:1-11 (thematic): Jeremiah is commanded to wear and then hide a linen belt as a symbolic object signifying Judah’s degradation—another example of a prophet using personal symbolic action/prop to dramatize judgment.
- Hos. 1:2-11 (thematic): God instructs Hosea to live a personal, symbolic life (marriage to Gomer; children given symbolic names) to represent Israel’s unfaithfulness and future fate—prophetic life-as-sign like Isaiah’s naked walk.
- Amos 8:1-2 (thematic): Amos is shown a vision of a basket of summer fruit as a sign of Israel’s end—another prophetic sign (vision/object) used to communicate imminent judgment, paralleling the function of Isaiah’s public sign-act.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then the LORD said, "As my servant Isaiah walked naked and barefoot three years— a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush.
- Then the LORD said, “As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years— a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush—
Isa.20.4 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- כן: ADV
- ינהג: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אשור: NOUN,prop,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- שבי: VERB,qal,imp,2,f,sg
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ואת: CONJ
- גלות: NOUN,f,sg,const
- כוש: NOUN,prop,sg,m
- נערים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- וזקנים: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ערום: ADJ,m,sg
- ויחף: CONJ+ADJ,m,pl,abs
- וחשופי: CONJ+ADJ,m,pl,abs
- שת: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ערות: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
Parallels
- Nahum 3:5 (verbal): Uses the same imagery of forced exposure—lifting skirts and making nakedness and shame visible to nations; both depict public humiliation as divine judgment.
- Isaiah 47:3 (verbal): Speaks of a conquered people exposed and shamed—'your nakedness will be uncovered'—a parallel motif of humiliation after defeat found elsewhere in Isaiah.
- Isaiah 3:17-18 (thematic): Describes divinely ordained stripping of finery and forcing people to walk barefoot—similar motifs of shaming, nakedness, and humiliation as punishment.
- 2 Kings 17:6 (thematic): Records Assyrian deportation of conquered peoples (the motif of mass exile by Assyria), providing historical background to Isaiah's image of the king of Assyria leading off captives.
- Deuteronomy 28:48 (thematic): Part of the covenant curse language that links defeat with service to enemies, nakedness, and shame—echoes the theological frame for the humiliation described in Isaiah 20:4.
Alternative generated candidates
- So the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush—young and old, naked and barefoot, with their buttocks uncovered—exposed as the shame of Egypt.
- so shall the king of Assyria lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush: youths and elders alike, naked and barefoot, with their buttocks exposed—
Isa.20.5 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- וחתו: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,pl
- ובשו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- מכוש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מבטם: NOUN,m,sg,abs,3,m,pl
- ומן: CONJ+PREP
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- תפארתם: NOUN,f,sg,abs,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Isaiah 20:4 (verbal): Immediate context: verse 4 repeats the same idea — peoples will be ashamed of Cush (Mophis/Cush as their hope) and of Egypt their glory; a direct verbal and thematic echo.
- Isaiah 30:3 (thematic): Condemns reliance on Egypt — 'the strength of Pharaoh shall be your shame' — parallels the theme that trust in Cush/Egypt results in humiliation.
- Isaiah 31:3 (thematic): Speaks of those seeking help from Egypt and how, when God acts, 'they shall be dismayed and confounded together,' echoing the predicted shame of Cush/Egyptal allies.
- Zephaniah 2:12 (thematic): Prophesies judgment on Cush and Egypt (Cush a spoil; Egypt a desolation), paralleling Isaiah’s theme that these nations and those who trust in them will face disgrace.
- Jeremiah 46:25 (thematic): Oracles against Egypt declare God will break Egypt's pride and punish Pharaoh/Amon — a related motif of Egyptian humiliation and the collapse of their glory.
Alternative generated candidates
- They shall be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush, their hope, and because of the pomp of Egypt.
- they shall be put to shame and dismayed because of Cush, their hope, and because of the pomp of Egypt.
Isa.20.6 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ואמר: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- ישב: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- האי: DEM,m,sg
- הזה: DEM,m,sg
- ביום: PREP
- ההוא: DEM,ms,sg
- הנה: PART
- כה: ADV
- מבטנו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,1,pl
- אשר: PRON,rel
- נסנו: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,pl
- שם: ADV
- לעזרה: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- להנצל: PREP+VERB,niphal,inf
- מפני: PREP
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אשור: NOUN,prop,m,sg
- ואיך: CONJ+ADV
- נמלט: VERB,nip,perf,3,m,sg
- אנחנו: PRON,1,pl
Parallels
- Isaiah 30:1-3 (verbal): Condemns seeking help from Egypt instead of the LORD; language about going down to Egypt for refuge and that it will not save them echoes Isaiah 20's image of fleeing to Egypt and asking how they will escape.
- Isaiah 31:1-3 (thematic): Warns against trusting Egypt (and horses) for help and promises divine judgment instead—parallels the theme that reliance on Egypt will not deliver the people.
- Ezekiel 29:6 (thematic): Declares that Egypt will no longer be Israel's confidence or help, directly resonating with Isaiah 20's message that escape to Egypt will fail.
- Jeremiah 43:10-13 (allusion): God's judgment on those who flee to Egypt (despite prophetic warning) mirrors Isaiah 20's portrayal of inhabitants seeking refuge in Egypt and facing inevitable disaster.
Alternative generated candidates
- And in that day a dweller of that coast will say, "Behold, this is the very hope to which we fled for help to be saved from the king of Assyria; how then shall we escape?"
- And the inhabitant of this isle will say on that day, “Behold, such is our hope, to which we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria—how shall we then escape?”
In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod—when Sargon king of Assyria sent him and fought against Ashdod and captured it.
At that time the LORD spoke by Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, Go, loosen the sackcloth from your loins and take off the sandals from your feet. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
Then the LORD said, As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years, a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush. So the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush—young and old, naked and barefoot, with their buttocks uncovered—
and they shall be dismayed and put to shame because of Cush, and confounded because of the pomp of Egypt. And the inhabitant of this coast will say on that day, Behold, such is our hope—wherein we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria; and how shall we escape?