Christian Standard Bible
Isaiah 20:4
4so the king of Assyria will lead the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, stripped and barefoot, with bared buttocks — to Egypt’s shame.
Isaiah 20:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)so the king of Assyria will lead away stripped and barefoot the Egyptian captives and Cushite exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared—to Egypt’s shame.
- English Standard Version (ESV)so 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians as prisoners and the Ethiopians as captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.
Context of Isaiah 20:4
2during that time the Lord had spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, take off your sackcloth from your waist and remove the sandals from your feet,” and he did that, going stripped and barefoot — 3the Lord said, “As my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush, so the king of Assyria will lead the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, stripped and barefoot, with bared buttocks — to Egypt’s shame. 5Those who made Cush their hope and Egypt their boast will be dismayed and ashamed. 6And the inhabitants of this coastland will say on that day, ‘Look, this is what has happened to those we relied on and fled to for help to rescue us from the king of Assyria! Now, how will we escape? ’”
Read all of Isaiah 20Isaiah 20:4 word by word
כֵּ֣ן יִנְהַ֣ג מֶֽלֶךְ־אַ֠שּׁוּר אֶת־שְׁבִ֨י מִצְרַ֜יִם וְאֶת־גָּל֥וּת כּ֛וּשׁ נְעָרִ֥ים וּזְקֵנִ֖ים עָר֣וֹם וְיָחֵ֑ף וַחֲשׂוּפַ֥י שֵׁ֖ת עֶרְוַ֥ת מִצְרָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- So shall the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Assyriaאַשּׁוּר'ashshûr 'ashshûr · AssyriaH804
- lead awayנָהַגnâhag · to leadH5090
- the Egyptiansמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- prisonersשְׁבִיshebîy · captivityH7628
- and the Ethiopiansכּוּשׁkûsh · CushH3568
- captivesגָּלוּתgâlûth · captivityH1546
- youngנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- and oldזָקֵןzâqên · oldH2205
- nakedעָרוֹם‛ârôm ‛ârôm · nakedH6174
- and barefootיָחֵףyâchêph · barefootH3182
- buttocksשֵׁתshêthâh · buttockH8357
- uncoveredחָשַׂףchâώaph · to stripH2834
- to the shameעֶרְוָה‛ervâh · nakednessH6172
Cross-references for Isaiah 20:4
- Isaiah 19:4I will hand over Egypt to harsh masters, and a strong king will rule it. This is the declaration of the Lord God of Armies.
- Jeremiah 46:26I will hand them over to those who intend to take their lives — to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his officers. But after this, Egypt will be inhabited again as in ancient times.” This is the Lord’s declaration.
- Ezekiel 30:18The day will be dark in Tehaphnehes, when I break the yoke of Egypt there and its proud strength comes to an end in the city. A cloud will cover Tehaphnehes, and its surrounding villages will go into captivity.
- Isaiah 3:17the Lord will put scabs on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will shave their foreheads bare.
- 2 Samuel 10:4So Hanun took David’s emissaries, shaved off half their beards, cut their clothes in half at the hips, and sent them away.
- Jeremiah 13:22And when you ask yourself, “Why have these things happened to me?” it is because of your great guilt that your skirts have been stripped off, your body exposed.
- Micah 1:11Depart in shameful nakedness, you residents of Shaphir; the residents of Zaanan will not come out. Beth-ezel is lamenting; its support is taken from you.
- Revelation 3:18I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see.
Commentaries on Isaiah 20:4
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4So shall the king of Assyria - The emphasis here is on the word “so.” As Isaiah has walked naked, that is, stripped off his usual clothing, “so” shall the Egyptians and Ethiopians be led away “stripped” of all their possessions. The Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives - The Egyptians and Ethiopians, or Cushites, were often united in an alliance, and appear to have been when this prophecy was delivered. Thus Nahum 3:8: Ethiopia and Egypt were…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4This symbolic event happened about three years before Ashdod fell (see Isaiah 20:2). Through this event, Isaiah served as an example for the people (see Isaiah 8:18).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. buttocks uncovered--Belzoni says that captives are found represented thus on Egyptian monuments (Is 47:2, 3; Na 3:5, 8, 9), where as here, Egypt and Ethiopia are mentioned as in alliance.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 20:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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