New International Version
Isaiah 20:2
2at 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)the Lord told Isaiah son of Amoz, “Take off the burlap you have been wearing, and remove your sandals.” Isaiah did as he was told and walked around naked and barefoot.
Context of Isaiah 20:2
1In the year that the supreme commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it— 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. 3Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years, as a sign and portent against Egypt and Cush, 4so 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.
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: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.”
- Jeremiah 19:1This is what the Lord says: “Go and buy a clay jar from a potter. Take along some of the elders of the people and of the priests
- Ezekiel 4:5I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the people of Israel.
- Matthew 16:24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
- 2 Kings 1:8They replied, “He had a garment of hair and had a leather belt around his waist.” The king said, “That was Elijah the Tishbite.”
- Zechariah 13:4“On that day every prophet will be ashamed of their prophetic vision. They will not put on a prophet’s garment of hair in order to deceive.
- Matthew 3:4John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
- Revelation 11:3And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
- Exodus 3:5“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
- Joshua 5:15The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
- Ezekiel 24:17Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban fastened and your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard or eat the customary food of mourners.”
- 1 Samuel 19:24He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
- 2 Samuel 6:20When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”
- Job 1:20At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship
- Micah 1:8Because of this I will weep and wail; I will go about barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and moan like an owl.
- John 21:7Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
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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