Isaiah 20
What Happens in This Chapter
The king of Assyria sends his chief commander to attack the city of Ashdod, and the commander takes it. Around that time God tells the prophet Isaiah to take off his rough clothes and his sandals and to walk naked and barefoot for three years. God says this is a sign that Assyria will lead away people from Egypt and Cush the same way, naked and barefoot. People living on the nearby coast had hoped Egypt and Cush would save them, and they ask how they themselves can escape.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it;
1Sargon was the king of Assyria, a strong country far away. He sent his top army leader to the city of Ashdod. The leader fought against Ashdod and took it.
The KJV word "Tartan" is not a man's name. It is an Assyrian title for the head of the army.
2At 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.
2At that time God spoke through Isaiah, the son of Amoz. Isaiah was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. God said, "Take off the rough cloth you wear. Take the sandals off your feet." Isaiah did what God said. He walked around naked and with bare feet.
3And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;
3Then God said, "My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years. He is a sign and a warning about Egypt and Cush."
The KJV says "Ethiopia." The land meant here is Cush, which was south of Egypt. It is not the same place as the country called Ethiopia today.
4So 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.
4"The king of Assyria will take the people of Egypt and Cush away. He will lead them off as prisoners, young ones and old ones. They will be naked and barefoot, with their bottoms bare. This will bring shame on Egypt."
5And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.
5People had hoped that Cush would help them. They were proud that Egypt was on their side. Now they will be afraid and ashamed.
6And the inhabitant of this isle shall say in that day, Behold, such is our expectation, whither we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria: and how shall we escape?
6On that day the people living along this coast will say, "Look at what happened. We ran to them for help. We thought they would save us from the king of Assyria. Now how can we get away?"
The KJV word "isle" here means the land along the sea coast, not an island.
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