God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 20:2
2At that time the Lord told Isaiah, son of Amoz, “Take off the sackcloth that you are wearing, and take off your sandals!” Isaiah did this and walked around barefoot and naked.
Isaiah 20:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)At the same time spake the Lord by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
- New International Version (NIV)at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz. He said to him, “Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.” And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot.
- English Standard Version (ESV)at that time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, "Go, and loose the sackcloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet," and he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
- New King James Version (NKJV)at the same time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and remove the sackcloth from your body, and take your sandals off your feet.” And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
Context of Isaiah 20:2
1In the year when King Sargon of Assyria sent his commander-in-chief to fight against Ashdod, he captured it. At that time the Lord told Isaiah, son of Amoz, “Take off the sackcloth that you are wearing, and take off your sandals!” Isaiah did this and walked around barefoot and naked. 3Then the Lord said, “My servant Isaiah has gone barefoot and naked for three years as a sign and as an omen to Egypt and Sudan. 4The king of Assyria will lead away both the young and the old—captives from Egypt and exiles from Sudan. They will be barefoot and naked. Their buttocks will be exposed in order to disgrace Egypt.
Read all of Isaiah 20Isaiah 20:2 word by word
בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהוָה֮ בְּיַ֣ד יְשַׁעְיָ֣הוּ בֶן־אָמוֹץ֮ לֵאמֹר֒ לֵ֗ךְ וּפִתַּחְתָּ֤ הַשַּׂק֙ מֵעַ֣ל מָתְנֶ֔יךָ וְנַעַלְךָ֥ תַחֲלֹ֖ץ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְלֶ֑יךָ וַיַּ֣עַשׂ כֵּ֔ן הָלֹ֖ךְ עָר֥וֹם וְיָחֵֽף׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- At the same timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- byיָדyâd · hand: byH3027
- Isaiahיְשַׁעְיָ֫הוּyesha‛yâh yesha‛yâhû · IsaiahH3470
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Amozאָמוֹץ'âmôts · AmozH531
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- and looseפָּתַחpâthach · to openH6605
- the sackclothשַׂקώaq · sackclothH8242
- from off thy loinsמׇתְנַ֫יִםmôthen · loinH4975
- and put offחָלַץchâlats · to rescueH2502
- thy shoeנַ֫עַלna‛al na‛ălâh · sandalH5275
- from thy footרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
- And he did soעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- walkingהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- nakedעָרוֹם‛ârôm ‛ârôm · nakedH6174
- and barefootיָחֵףyâchêph · barefootH3182
Cross-references for Isaiah 20:2
- Jeremiah 13:1This is what the Lord said to me: “Buy a linen belt. Put it around your waist. Don’t let it get wet.”
- Jeremiah 19:1This is what the Lord says: Go and buy a clay jar from a potter. Take along some of the leaders of the people and some of the leaders of the priests.
- Ezekiel 4:5I have assigned to you one day for each year its punishment will last. So for 390 days, you will bear the punishment for the sins of the nation of Israel.
- Matthew 16:24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Those who want to come with me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses, and follow me.
- 2 Kings 1:8They replied, “He was hairy and had a leather belt around his waist.” “That’s Elijah from Tishbe,” the king answered.
- Zechariah 13:4“On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He won’t deceive people by dressing ⌞like a prophet⌟ in a coat made of hair.
- Matthew 3:4John wore clothes made from camel’s hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His diet consisted of locusts and wild honey.
- Revelation 11:3I will allow my two witnesses who wear sackcloth to speak what God has revealed. They will speak for 1,260 days.”
- Exodus 3:5God said, “Don’t come any closer! Take off your sandals because this place where you are standing is holy ground.
- Joshua 5:15The commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals because this place where you are standing is holy.” So Joshua did as he was told.
- Ezekiel 24:17Groan silently. Don’t grieve for the person who dies. Tie on your turban, and put on your sandals. Don’t cover your face or eat the food that mourners eat.”
- 1 Samuel 19:24He even took off his clothes as he prophesied in front of Samuel and lay there naked all day and all night. This is where the saying, “Is Saul one of the prophets?” came from.
- 2 Samuel 6:20When David returned to bless his family, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How dignified Israel’s king was today! He was exposing himself before the eyes of the slave girls of his palace staff—like a mindless fool might expose himself!”
- Job 1:20Job stood up, tore his robe in grief, and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground and worshiped.
- Micah 1:8I will mourn and cry because of this. I will walk around barefoot and naked. I will cry like a jackal and mourn like an ostrich.
- John 21:7The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put back on the clothes that he had taken off and jumped into the sea.
Commentaries on Isaiah 20:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Walking naked and barefoot - It is not probable that the prophet walked uncovered and barefoot for three years; his appearing in that manner was a sign that within three years the Egyptians and Cushites should be in the same condition, being conquered and made captives by the king of Assyria. The time was denoted as well as the event; but his appearing in that manner for three whole years could give no premonition of the time at all. It is probable…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2By Isaiah - Margin, By the hand of Isaiah.‘ So the Hebrew. That is, by the instrumentality of Isaiah. He sent him to make known the fate of the Egyptians, and the folly of trusting in them on this occasion. Go, and loose the sackcloth - For the meaning of the word “sackcloth,” see the note at Isaiah 3:24. It was commonly worn as an emblem of mourning. But there is reason to believe that it was worn also by the prophets, and was regarded, in some degree…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Prophets often wore sackcloth or other rough clothing to show mourning for the people's sins (see 2 Kings 1:8; Mark 1:6). naked: This means exposed in some way, possibly even completely nude.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. by--literally, "by the hand of" (compare Eze 3:14). sackcloth--the loose outer garment of coarse dark hair-cloth worn by mourners (2Sa 3:31) and by prophets, fastened at the waist by a girdle (Mt 3:4; 2Ki 1:8; Zec 13:4). naked--rather, "uncovered"; he merely put off the outer sackcloth, retaining still the tunic or inner vest (1Sa 19:24; Am 2:16; Joh 21:7); an emblem to show that Egypt should be stripped of its possessions; the very dress of Isaiah was…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 20:2
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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