Isaiah 20:4

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 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. The 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. 5Then the people will be shattered and ashamed because Sudan was their hope and Egypt was their beauty. 6When that day comes, those who live on this coastland will say, ‘Look at what has happened to our hope. We ran ⌞to Egypt⌟ for help to be rescued from the king of Assyria. How can we escape?’ ”

Isaiah 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 the Egyptians to a harsh master. A strong king will rule them,” declares the Almighty Lord of Armies.
• Jeremiah 46:26I’ll hand them over to those who want to kill them, to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his officers. Afterward, they will live in peace as they did long ago,” declares the Lord.
• Ezekiel 30:18At Tahpanhes the day will turn dark when I break Egypt’s power. Egypt’s strong army will be defeated. Clouds will cover Egypt, and people from its villages will go into exile.
• Isaiah 3:17The Lord will cause sores ⌞to appear⌟ on the heads of the women of Zion, and the Lord will make their foreheads bare.
• 2 Samuel 10:4So Hanun took David’s men, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their clothes from the waist down, and sent them away.
• Jeremiah 13:22If you ask yourself, “Why do these things happen to me?” it’s because you have so many sins. Your clothes have been torn off and your limbs are bare.
• Micah 1:11Pass by, naked and ashamed, inhabitants of Shaphir. Don’t come out, inhabitants of Zaanan. Beth Ezel is in mourning. It will take its support away from you.
• Revelation 3:18I advise you: Buy gold purified in fire from me so that you may be rich. Buy white clothes from me. Wear them so that you may keep your shameful, naked body from showing. Buy ointment to put 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

• Captive
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Symbols and Similitudes

In the dictionaries

• Assyria
• Egypt
• Assyria, Assyrian, Assyrian Empire
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Barefoot
• Captive
• No
• Cush (1)
• Ethiopia
• Exile

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