EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Isaiah 20:4
4The king of Assyria will take away people from Egypt as prisoners. He will do the same thing to the people of Cush. Young people and old people will go as prisoners to Assyria. They will not wear any clothes or shoes. People will see their bare bodies. The Egyptians will be very ashamed.
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
2At that time, the Lord gave this message to Isaiah, the son of Amoz. He said, ‘Go and remove the rough clothes that you are wearing. Take your shoes off your feet.’ Isaiah did what the Lord told him to do. He walked about without clothes and without shoes. 3After three years, the Lord said, ‘My servant Isaiah has walked without clothes and without shoes for three years. That is a sign to warn Egypt and Cush about what will happen to them. The king of Assyria will take away people from Egypt as prisoners. He will do the same thing to the people of Cush. Young people and old people will go as prisoners to Assyria. They will not wear any clothes or shoes. People will see their bare bodies. The Egyptians will be very ashamed. 5Anyone who trusted that Cush or Egypt would be strong enough to save them will be ashamed. They will be afraid. 6At that time, the people who live on this coast will say, “Look! This has happened to the people that we trusted to help us. We thought that they would rescue us from the king of Assyria. Now we will never escape from his power.” ’
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 cause a cruel master to have power over Egypt. A powerful king will rule over its people.’ That is what the Lord, the Almighty Lord.
- Jeremiah 46:26I will put them under the power of King Nebuchadnezzar and his army, who want to kill them. But in later years, people will again live in Egypt, as they did before.’ That is what the Lord says.
- Ezekiel 30:18It will be a very dark day in Tahpanhes when I destroy Egypt's strength. Egypt will not be proud of her great power any more. A dark cloud will cover the land. Enemies will take away the people from Egypt's villages as prisoners.
- Isaiah 3:17Because of that, the Lord God will give them sores on their heads. Those beautiful women will be bald!’
- 2 Samuel 10:4So Hanun took hold of David's officers. He cut off half the hair from their beards. He also cut off the lower half of their clothes up to their hips. Then he sent them away.
- Jeremiah 13:22You may ask, “Why are these things happening to me?” It is because of your many terrible sins. Like an adulteress, they have torn off your dress to make you ashamed.
- Micah 1:11You people who live in Shaphir, go on your way. Your enemies will not let you wear any clothes while they take you away. So you will be ashamed. The people who live in Zaanan will be afraid to leave their city. The people at Beth-Ezel will cry because nobody comes to help them.
- Revelation 3:18So I tell you that you should buy gold from me. With my gold, you would be really rich. My gold is the best, because it has been through fire. You should also buy white clothes from me to dress yourselves. Then you will not be ashamed because you have no clothes. You should also buy medicine from me to put on your eyes. Then you will be able to see well.
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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