at that time spoke Jehovah by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy sandal from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
Assyria's commander had just taken Ashdod, and at that moment God told Isaiah to act out the message with his own body. Why strip off a mourning garment and sandals and walk that way in public?
The command came during a real Assyrian campaign. That campaign struck more than one nation.
From this chapter we learn that God uses the Assyrian as the whip on His people Israel, to punish them for their sins. But He also uses this same power to punish the careless Ethiopian and the proud Egyptian. The Philistine too relied on the help of Ethiopia and Egypt. He also felt the lash of God's whip, when Tartan, the general of Sargon the king of Assyria, took Ashdod.
Even the name "Tartan" is likely a title rather than a personal name:
It is more than doubtful whether Tartan is a proper name. It more probably means "general" or "commander-in-chief" of Assyria, both here and in 2 Kings 18:17.
Isaiah was already wearing sackcloth when the command came. That rough garment carried a known meaning.
From these passages, we see that sackcloth was the mark of mourning. People wore it at times of loss, disaster, or repentance — personal and national. It was worn by the prophets, no doubt because it matched their own mourning and their call to the people to repent.
Some have argued the whole thing happened only in a vision. One commentator traces that idea to a wrong picture of the command, and shows how the word "naked" works elsewhere in Scripture.
Many suppose the symbolic action was only a vision, not something real. Perhaps this comes from the groundless assumption that the call was to total nakedness. But this has no basis, since "naked" is often used (see also 1 Sam. 19:24; 2 Sam. 6:20; Amos 2:16; John 21:7) to express the absence, not of all covering, but of the usual outer clothing of one kind or another... The prophet already wore sackcloth. This he was to loose from off his loins, and to pull the sandal off his foot.
Isaiah was not the only prophet told to preach with his body. The audience was closer to home than Egypt.
Isaiah was told to reinforce his prophecy by an unusual action. He foretold the coming overthrow of Egypt by walking naked and barefoot. Other prophets, such as Hosea, were instructed to back up their words with actions. The aim was to make the people of this "isle," or "coast" — that is, Palestine — see one thing: it was folly to trust Egypt to save them from Assyria.
Writers place this among a wider pattern of such signs, alongside Ezekiel's strange behaviour and Jeremiah hiding his belt by the Euphrates:
All these were actions fitted, as emblems or types, to give notice of coming events.
The point was not just that Egypt would fall. God will not share His people's confidence with anyone.
The moral lesson is clear. Let the people not look to the kingdoms of the earth for protection in the hour of danger. As the true God, the LORD is jealous, and must be. He will not allow compromise any more than unbelief. What are Egypt and Ethiopia to Israel?... And let the one who lives in the coastland, that is Palestine, humble himself. God is not mocked, and man's help is worthless. Israel was really more guilty than any.
Secular records leave a gap where this prophecy stands, and commentators read that silence as no obstacle at all.
History seems to be silent here, but prophecy is not. It declares that the land of Egypt will not escape the king of the north, the last Assyrian, at the time of the end. He himself must then be broken by no human hand (Dan. 11:41-45).
- Occasion. Assyria's general had just taken Ashdod. God spoke through Isaiah at that moment, so the sign belonged to a real political crisis, not a private thought.
- Stripped. Isaiah loosed the sackcloth that marked prophets as mourners. Commentators hold that this was real, not a vision. "Naked" here means stripped of the outer garment, not bare.
- Aimed. Isaiah acted out the picture for the people of the coastland. They were counting on Egypt to save them from Assyria.
- Jealous. God refuses to share His people's trust with the kingdoms of the earth. He allows compromise no more than open unbelief. Israel was more guilty than the nations she leaned on.
- Unfinished. Where history goes quiet, prophecy keeps speaking. The same pattern returns at the end: Egypt will not escape the last Assyrian, and he himself will be broken by no human hand.
And Jehovah said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years, a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia,
Verse 3 looks back on what Isaiah had been doing and gives God's own explanation of it. Commentators note that the prophet was not stripped bare; he laid aside the rough outer clothing he normally wore, and the timing of the sign is bound up with the three years.
Many suppose the symbolic action was only in vision, not actual. Perhaps this comes from the quite unjustified idea that he was called to be completely naked. But there is no ground for that. The word "naked" is often used (see also 1 Samuel 19:24; 2 Samuel 6:20; Amos 2:16; John 21:7) to mean the loss of the usual outer garment, not of all clothing... The prophet already wore sackcloth. This he was to loosen from his waist, and to pull the sandal off his foot. The true sense is most likely "for a three years' sign and portent." The vowel marks of the Hebrew text imply this, and the Greek Septuagint version supports it. The stated aim was to produce fear and shame in all who trusted in Ethiopia or boasted of Egypt. The Assyrian was to humble both to the dust.
Isaiah was not the only prophet who acted out his message. This sign spoke to the people of the coastland, Palestine.
God told other prophets, such as Hosea, to back up their words by actions. The aim was to bring home to the people of this "isle," or "coast" — that is, Palestine — that it was folly to trust Egypt to save them from Assyria. It will doubtless be the same in the last days. We see this in Daniel 11:36-45. "The king" of verse 36 will plainly be in Jerusalem, and he will find no help in "the king of the south" against the attack of "the king of the north."
Assyria was the rod in God's hand on His own people. The same power also fell on Egypt, Ethiopia, and those who relied on them.
From this chapter we learn that God uses the Assyrian as the scourge of His people Israel, to punish them for their sins. But He also uses this same power to punish the careless Ethiopian and the proud Egyptian. The Philistines too relied on help from Ethiopia and Egypt. They felt the lash of God's scourge when Tartan, the general of Sargon the king of Assyria, took Ashdod.
The sign carries a moral lesson about where God's people may look for safety.
The moral lesson is obvious. Let the people not look to the kingdoms of the earth for protection in the hour of danger. Jehovah as the true God is and must be jealous. He will not allow compromise any more than unbelief. What are Egypt and Cush to Israel? Let Israel have no hope, only weeping over their own coming humiliation. And let the people of the coastland, Palestine, humble themselves. God is not mocked, and man's help is worthless. Israel was really more guilty than any.
The pull toward Egypt was not a one-off lapse.
Going down to Egypt for help was the constant snare of God's people. Yet God had rescued them from that land, and in their rescue they had seen His judgment fall on it. Yet again and again they could turn back to it. Sadly, it is an inconsistency that none of us who knows himself can claim to be free from! Happy are those who learn at last, by whatever means, to say what the apostle says of Christians: "We are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh."
God calls Isaiah "my servant" here. Other men in this book carry the same title, and so does one greater Person.
Different servants of the Lord are named in the Book of Isaiah. The prophet himself is so described in Isaiah 20:3. Eliakim, David and Jacob are spoken of as God's servants (Isaiah 22:20; 37:35; 44:1), as is Israel (Isaiah 41:8-9), and others (Isaiah 56:6, and so on). But there is One who is set before us in this way too. He is the One called earlier in this prophecy "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
Secular history preserves little of the campaign this chapter describes, yet the sign stands on its own footing.
Of the past, not recorded in any secular history that has come down to us, we learn from the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 20), and the future, which no one can anticipate, we have clearly mapped out. For with Him who sees the end from the beginning, what are years or centuries?... So Isaiah, by walking barefoot for three years, pointed out the humiliation of Egypt and Ethiopia by the king of Assyria, which must have happened not long afterwards.
- Sign — Isaiah laid aside his sackcloth and sandals. "Naked" means without the usual outer garment, and he did this in fact, not in a vision.
- Servant — God calls Isaiah "my servant" as he walks barefoot. Others share that title in this book, and it rests at last on the promised Wonderful Counselor.
- Scourge — Assyria is God's rod. He uses it on proud Egypt and careless Ethiopia as truly as on His own people.
- Shame — the sign aimed to bring fear and shame on everyone who trusted Ethiopia or boasted of Egypt. Man's help is worthless.
- Snare — going down to Egypt was the standing temptation of God's people. The cure is the same now: no confidence in the flesh.
so shall the king of Assyria lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Ethiopia, young and old, naked and barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered, [to] the shame of Egypt.
Isaiah had acted out a sign for three years. This verse explains it. Assyria's king will march Egypt and Cush away as prisoners, stripped of clothing and dignity. The words name nations far from Judah, yet the people who most needed to hear them were the ones counting on Egypt for rescue.
Commentators treat this chapter as a closing note. It follows the judgment on Egypt just before it. The prophecy fixes on a defeat that left no trace in the records we have.
This chapter is an appendix to the last. From it we learn that the Assyrian ravaged Egypt (along with the Ethiopians), leading his captives away in shame… History here seems to be silent, but prophecy is not. It declares that the land of Egypt will not escape the king of the north, or the last Assyrian, at the time of the end. He must then himself be broken without hand (Dan. 11:41-45).
The verse's other people, the Cushites, need placing on the map.
CUSH, or ETHIOPIA, extended much farther south, but is often mentioned in Scripture along with Egypt: Ps. 68:31; Isa. 11:11; Isa. 20:4; Isa. 43:3; Isa. 45:14; Nahum 3:9.
Some read the word "naked" here too strongly. That misreading pushes them to treat the whole episode as a vision, not something Isaiah really did.
Many suppose the symbolic action was only in a vision, and not something actually done. Perhaps this is due to the completely unnecessary assumption that the call was to total nudity. But this has no basis, as "naked" is often used (see also 1 Sam. 19:24; 2 Sam. 6:20; Amos 2:16; John 21:7) to express the absence, not of all covering, but of the usual outer garment of one kind or another… The prophet already wore sackcloth. He was to loosen it from his waist and pull his sandal off his foot… The aim was openly to produce fear and shame in all who trusted in Ethiopia or boasted of Egypt. The Assyrian was to humble both to the dust.
The people meant to watch and learn were Isaiah's own neighbours, and the same pattern will repeat.
He foretold the coming overthrow of Egypt by his walking naked and barefoot. Other prophets, such as Hosea, also had orders to back up their words with actions. The point was to bring home to the people of this "isle," or "coast" — that is, Palestine — that it was folly to trust Egypt to save them from Assyria. It will doubtless be the same in the last days, as we see in Daniel 11:36-45. There "the king" of verse 36, who will clearly be in Jerusalem, will find no help in "the king of the south" against the assault of "the king of the north."
Egypt's record with God's people was long and consistent.
Egypt has been a breaking staff to Israel; a staff of reed, which offered much but never kept its promises, bringing only ruin to all who trusted it. Going down to Egypt for help was the constant snare of the people of God. Yet God had delivered them out of that land, and their own deliverance showed them His judgment on it. Yet again and again they could turn back to it. Sadly, it is an inconsistency that not one of us who knows himself can be a stranger to!
The point is not just that Egypt was weak. God Himself will not share the place of trust.
The moral lesson is clear. Let the people not look to the kingdoms of the earth for protection in the hour of danger. The Lord as the true God is and must be jealous. He will not allow compromise any more than unbelief. What are Egypt and Cush to Israel? Let there be no hope for Israel, but weeping over their own coming humiliation. Let the dweller in the coastland, or Palestine, humble himself. God is not mocked, and man's help is worthless. Israel was really more guilty than any.
Dragging people into captivity was Assyria's habit, and God had a hand in it.
This has been one of the Assyrian's chief features: God used him to lead the remnants of the ten tribes into captivity, and in Isaiah 20:4 there is a prophecy of the Assyrian taking prisoners from Egypt, and captives from Ethiopia.
- Sign. Isaiah walked without his outer garment and sandals for three years. It was a living picture, not a vision.
- Stripped. Assyria would march Egypt and Cush away as prisoners, young and old alike, with nothing left to hide behind.
- Shame. The sign aimed to shame everyone who boasted in these nations. The Assyrian would bring both down to the dust.
- Snare. Egypt was a staff of reed: it promised much and held nothing. Turning back to it was the constant snare of God's people, and no honest reader is free of it.
- Still to come. Commentators point beyond Isaiah's day to the last days. The king in Jerusalem will look south for help and find none.