Deep Dive

Isaiah 20:4

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so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, naked and barefoot, with bared buttocks—to Egypt’s shame.

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Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 4

This chapter is a prediction of the carrying away of multitudes both of the Egyptians and the Ethiopians into captivity by the king of Assyria. Here is, I. the sign by which this was foretold, which was the prophet's going for some time barefoot and almost naked, like a poor captive (Isa 20:1-2). II. The explication of that sign, with application to Egypt and Ethiopia (Isa 20:3-5). III. The good use which the people of God should make of this, which is never to trust in an arm of flesh, because thus it will deceive them (Isa 20:6).

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Original language

The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).

Strong's Concordancev. 4

מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king אַשּׁוּר (ʼAshshûwr, H804) — Ashshur, the second son of Shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them… נָהַג (nâhag, H5090) — to drive forth (a person, an animal or chariot), i.e. lead, carry away; reflexively, to… מִצְרַיִם (Mitsrayim, H4714) — Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt שְׁבִי (shᵉbîy, H7628) — exiled; captured; as noun, exile (abstractly or concretely and collectively); by… כּוּשׁ (Kûwsh, H3568) — Cush (or Ethiopia), the name of a son of Ham, and of his territory; also of an Israelite גָּלוּת (gâlûwth, H1546) — captivity; concretely, exiles (collectively) נַעַר (naʻar, H5288) — (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a… זָקֵן (zâqên, H2205) — old עָרוֹם (ʻârôwm, H6174) — nude, either partially or totally יָחֵף (yâchêph, H3182) — unsandalled שֵׁתָה (shêthâh, H8357) — the seat (of the person) חָשַׂף (châsaph, H2834) — to strip off, i.e. generally to make naked (for exertion or in disgrace), to drain away… עֶרְוָה (ʻervâh, H6172) — nudity, literally (especially the pudenda) or figuratively (disgrace, blemish)

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Cross-references

Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.

Isaiah 19:4rank 5

I will deliver the Egyptians into the hands of harsh masters, and a fierce king will rule over them,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.

Jeremiah 13:26rank 3

So I will pull your skirts up over your face, that your shame may be seen.

Jeremiah 13:22rank 3

And if you ask yourself, “Why has this happened to me?” It is because of the magnitude of your iniquity that your skirts have been stripped off and your body has been exposed.

Revelation of John 3:18rank 2

I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

II Samuel 10:4rank 2

So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.

Isaiah 3:17rank 2

the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will make their foreheads bare.”

Isaiah 47:3rank 2

Your nakedness will be uncovered and your shame will be exposed. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.”

Ezekiel 30:18rank 2

The day will be darkened in Tahpanhes when I break the yoke of Egypt and her proud strength comes to an end. A cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity.

Micah 1:11rank 2

Depart in shameful nakedness, O dwellers of Shaphir. The dwellers of Zaanan will not come out. Beth-ezel is in mourning; its support is taken from you.

Jeremiah 46:26rank 2

I will deliver them into the hands of those who seek their lives—of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But after this, Egypt will be inhabited as in days of old, declares the LORD.

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