Глава 20

1–6. Prophecy about the fate of Egypt and Ethiopia. Isaiah 20:1–6. In the year the Philistine city of Ashdod was captured by the Assyrians - probably some time before the fall of this city - Isaiah received a command from the Lord to take off his outer clothing and sandals, which the prophet did. Isa.20:1. In the year when Tartan came to Azoth, having been sent from Sargon, king of Assyria, and fought against Azoth, and took it, "Tartan" is an Assyrian word (tartanu), meaning commander-in-chief of an army and ranking first after the king. "From Sargon". In 1847, the inscriptions of King Sargon of Assyria (in Assyrian: Sarrukin), the predecessor of Sennacherib, were discovered. He took Samaria (722), which was besieged by his predecessor Salmonassar IV, and in 711 Sargon's general took the Philistine city of Azoth, whose king Azurri refused to pay tribute to the Assyrian king and, moreover, entered into friendship with the pharaoh. Sargon, as can be seen from his inscriptions, suspected that Judah was also involved in the plans of the Philistines. Isa.20:2. At that very time the Lord spoke to Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying: Go and take off the sackcloth from around your waist and throw off your sandals from off your feet. He did just that: he walked naked and barefoot. Now it was necessary to warn the king of Judah, Hezekiah. about the danger that Hezekiah’s projected union with Egypt posed to Judah at that time. Isaiah, by revelation, knew that the Assyrian king would not be satisfied with taking Azoth, but would try to humble Egypt, which, as the Assyrian king knew, was embarrassing the Palestinian states that paid tribute to the Assyrian king. Therefore, the prophet, at the direction of God, performs a symbolic action, by which he shows that the Egyptians will be conquered by the Assyrians and that, therefore, there is nothing to rely on in an alliance with Egypt. “Sackcloth” – see Isaiah 3:23. Here the word seems to denote the usual prophetic garment - a coarse hair cloak, like the one worn by the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:8). “Naked”, that is, without outer clothing, in one tunic (cf. 2 Samuel 6:14, 20 and John 21:7; Mark 14:52). Isa.20:3. And the Lord said, As my servant Isaiah walked naked and barefoot three years, as a sign and a sign concerning Egypt and Ethiopia, Isa.20:4. Thus will the king of Assyria lead captives from Egypt and immigrants from Ethiopia, young and old, naked and barefoot and with bare loins, to the shame of Egypt. After three years had passed from the time of receiving this command, Isaiah was commanded to explain to the Jewish people the meaning of this symbolic action. It meant that the Assyrians would also drive captives barefoot and naked from Egypt and Ethiopia - from the state on which the Jews then placed special hopes. This defeat of Egypt will make a strong impression on all Palestinian peoples. “Three years” is a symbolic number, meaning the fullness of time. The prophet continued his symbolic action for so long in order to better attract the attention of his fellow citizens, to arouse in them interest in the sign itself. The prophet did not reveal the meaning of this walk for three whole years, and then explained it. “That’s how it will lead.” This was fulfilled under the Assyrian king Asar-Haddon (681-668), who called himself “king of kings of Egypt” and who defeated Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia and Egypt, taking many of his subjects into captivity. Egypt was also struck by his son, Asur-Banipal (668–626), who took the city of No, or Thebes, where Tirgaki’s successor, Rud-Ammon, had locked himself up, and again took many captive Egyptians to Assyria. Isa.20:5. Then they will be horrified and ashamed because of Ethiopia, their hope, and because of Egypt, in which they boasted. Isa.20:6. And on that day the inhabitants of this country will say: these are the ones in whom we hoped and to whom we resorted for help in order to save ourselves from the king of Assyria! and how would we be saved? Obviously, the victories of Pharaoh Tirgaki prompted many of the kings of Palestine to dream of an alliance with Egypt, but the defeats that the pharaohs suffered from the Assyrians would force all these states to change their minds about Egypt. You might be interested in: