Annotations Upon Isaiah, Chapter 20
CHAP. XX.
VERSE 1. IN the year, &c.] The Prophet having before denounced the Judgments that were to come upon the Ethiopians, Chap. 18. and the Judgments that were to come upon the Egyptians, Chap. 19. doth in this Chapter again joyntly together foretel the calamities that were coming upon both theſe Nations, and withal expreſſeth the time when he foretold this; In the year that Tartan came unto Aſhdod, (when Sargon the King of Aſſyria ſent him) and fought againſt Aſhdod and took it. Some think that it is Salmaneſer, who carried away the ten Tribes of Iſrael captive into Aſſyria, that is here called Sargon, and that he ſent Tartan againſt Aſhdod, who accordingly ſubdued and took it, about the fourth or fifth year of Hezekiah, 2 Kin. 18.9, 10. And others conceive, that this Sargon was the Son of Salmaneſer, and Father of Sennacherib, and that he deſiring to proſecute his Fathers deſigns, and to enlarge his Dominions, did invade the land of the Philiſtins, that bordered on the Weſt upon the land of Iſrael, and beginning with Aſhdod, beſieged that (the ſiege whereof might laſt three years, as Samaria did, 1 Kin. 17.5.) and that when the Egyptians and Ethiopians came in with great Forces to the relief of this City, they were by the Aſſyrians vanquiſhed and carried away captives in that ſhameful manner, as is here afterward related. But becauſe, 2 Kin. 18.17. Tartan is mentioned to have been one of thoſe three Captains, or Colonels, that were ſent by Sennacherib to ſummon Hezekiah to render up Jeruſalem to him; therefore it is more generally held, that this Sargon was Sennacherib, (it being uſual in thoſe times for men to have two ſeveral names) and when he firſt invaded Judea, in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah, 2 Kin. 18.13. he had amongſt other the ſtrong Cities of Judah, taken Aſhdod, by ſome forces ſent againſt it under the command of Tartan, (which they conceive was one of the Cities that Hezekiah had lately recovered out of the hands of the Philiſtines, 2 Kin. 18.8.) and that in this year it was that Iſaiah was appointed to foretel the deſtruction of the Egyptians and Ethiopians; which they conceive came to paſs three years after (ſee the Note here, ver. 3.) when Tirhakah the Ethiopian came out againſt Sennacherib, being then waſting the Land of Judea, and was vanquiſhed by him, 2 Kin. 19.9. Thus, I ſay, many Expoſitors do judge of the time of this Prophecy. But however clear it is, that the drift of this Prophecy was more fully ſtill to convince the Jews, what a folly it would be in them to rely upon the Egyptians and Ethiopians for help, that could not defend themſelves from the Aſſyrians. And indeed conſidering how in that Invaſion of Sennacherib the land of Judea was in a manner wholly ſubdued, (excepting only Jeruſalem) it is moſt probable that the Jews, according to their wonted manner, began then to look after the Egyptians, and their Confederates the Ethiopians, for aid, (and therefore we ſee that Sennacherib did upbraid them herewith, 2 King. 18.21.) and that they were much encouraged herein, when they heard that Tirhakah was indeed come out againſt the Aſſyrian, and that Sennacherib was already forced to ſend forth part of his Army out of Judea, to ſtop him in his way. So that upon this account it was neceſſary to convince the Jews, at this time, of their Sin and Folly, in reſting with ſo much confidence upon theſe Nations.
Ver. 2. At the ſame time ſpake the Lord by Iſaiah, the Son of Amoz, ſaying, &c.] The meaning is, That when God commanded Iſaiah that which followeth, he did withal charge him to acquaint the people, that it was by the Lords ſpecial command that he did ſo. It is in the Hebrew, The Lord ſpake by the hand of Iſaiah, that is, by the Miniſtry of Iſaiah, as it is ſaid, Levit. 8.36. That Aaron and his Sons did all things which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moſes. Yet ſome think that this expreſſion might be uſed with reſpect to the cuſtom of the Prophets writing their Prophecies. Go and looſe thy ſackcloth from off thy loins; that is, The ſackcloth, ſay ſome, wherewith the Prophet was clothed at that time, purpoſely as a token of his bewailing the Captivity of the Ten Tribes, and the dreadful calamities that he foreſaw were coming upon the whole land of Judea, for the wickedneſs and ſtubbornneſs of the people left therein. And to the ſame purpoſe might that alſo be enjoyned which follows, and put off thy ſhoe fr…m thy foot, ſee 2 Sam. 2.30. But rather the ſackcloth here mentioned was that rough hairy garment, which was the uſual attire of the Prophets, See the Note 2 Kin. 1.8. And why he was enjoyned to put this off, is ſet forth in the two following verſes.
And he did ſo, walking naked and bare-foot.] That this was not done in a Viſion only, as ſome think, is evident; becauſe in doing this, he was to be a ſign to the people, to repreſent in their ſight the miſery that was coming upon the Egyptians and Ethiopians, in whom they truſted. And that he went not up and down ſtark naked, the immodeſty and impudency of ſuch an act may eaſily convince us; but beſides, had he been ſtark naked, what need would there have been of adding that of his going bare-foot, Walking naked and bare-foot? The meaning therefore muſt be, either that he did only put off, according to God's appointment, his Prophetical outward Garment or Mantle, which covered all his body, and went up and down only in ſome ſhort cloſe Coat, that he uſed to wear under that, for which ſee the Note, 1 Sam. 19.24. Or elſe, that having put off his Sackcloth, he walked up and down, not only bare-footed and bare-legged, but alſo in ſuch poor, ragged, torn and tattered garments, that in many places did not cover his naked body, juſt as Slaves and Captives uſed to go; thereby to repreſent in what a pitiful manner the Egyptians and Ethiopians ſhould be carried away into Captivity. And though this were done only, as ſome think, when the Prophet went forth to foretel the miſeries that were coming upon theſe Nations; yet we may be ſure that ſuch a ſpectacle, in ſo grave and holy a Prophet, and one that was alſo of Noble Deſcent, muſt needs mightily affect the people, and make them eager to enquire what the meaning thereof ſhould be.
Ver. 3. And the Lord ſaid, &c.] To wit, by Iſaiah, who by God's appointment informed the people what God intended to ſignifie to them by that his ſtrange attire, Like as my ſervant Iſaiah hath walked naked and bare-foot three years for a ſign and wonder upon Egypt and Ethiopia; That is, ſay many Expoſitors, for a three years ſign, a ſign that three years after that, the Egyptians and Ethiopians ſhould juſt in that manner be carried away captives; Or, that their Countries ſhould be waſted, and they carried into Captivity for three years together. And the more clearly to expreſs this, ſome think that he went out in this manner prophecying three ſeveral times, or three ſeveral days. But of this ſuppoſition there is no neceſſity: For as Jeremiah's putting a yoke upon his neck but for one day, ſignified a Captivity of ſeventy years continuance, Jer. 27.2. ſo might Iſaiah's going naked and bare-foot ſignifie the Captivity of the Egyptians and Ethiopians three years after, or for three years together, though he ſhould have done it but once. However, as the words are rendered in our Bibles, they clearly hold forth, that Iſaiah went naked and bare-foot three years together, as is ſaid in the foregoing Note. And indeed it is probable enough that he did ſo, the more to affect the people with that dreadful miſery that was coming upon theſe Nations, upon whom they relied for help.
Ver. 4. So ſhall the King of Aſſyria lead away the Egyptians priſoners, and the Ethiopians captives, &c.] To wit, Sargon or Sennacherib, ſee the Note before, verſ. 1. And if this were done when he vanquiſhed Tirhakah the Ethiopian, (which ſome think, as is there noted;) this ſheweth that the Egyptians did then joyn with Tirhakah in that Expedition: Young and old, naked and bare-foot, even with their buttocks uncovered to the ſhame of Egypt, and ſo likewiſe of Ethiopia. And this is meant of their being aſhamed, not only of their nakedneſs, but alſo of their former Pride and Self-confidence.
Ver. 5. And they ſhall be afraid and aſhamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.] That is, The Jews, or whoever elſe they were that had relied on theſe Nations for aid, ſhall be ſtricken with terror, when they ſhall ſee theſe their Confederates cut off, and ſo might expect that the Aſſyrians would now uſe them as they had done the other; ſee the Note, Chap. 19.17. and withal they ſhall be aſhamed of their folly in their former hope and confidence in them. And thus theſe Nations, that had been before the cauſe of their vain confidence and pride, ſhould now become the cauſe of their fear and ſhame.
Ver. 6. And the inhabitant of this Iſle ſhall ſay in that day, &c.] That is, The Inhabitants of Judea, and the Land of the Philiſtines may alſo be included, as being a part of the Land of Canaan. Several Reaſons are, I know, given by Expoſitors, why this land ſhould be called an Iſle, which ſeem not to me to have the leaſt probability in them; as, becauſe Judea was the Lord's peculiar Inheritance, ſeparated from the reſt of the world, as an Iſland from the Mainland; or becauſe it had the Mediterranean-Sea on the Weſt, the Red-Sea, Jordan, the Sea of Geneſareth, and the Dead-Sea on other ſides of it. But indeed the moſt that can be probably ſaid for this is, that it is called an Iſle, becauſe it bordered upon the Sea-coaſts. And conſidering that the word here uſed in the Original is in ſeveral other places of Scripture uſed, even concerning Inland Countries; I conceive it is better rendered here, as it is in the Margin of our Bibles, And the inhabitant of this Countrey ſhall ſay in that day. However thoſe words, this Iſle or this Countrey, ſeem clearly to import, that the Prophet ſpeaks here of his own Country-men, that they ſhould ſay, Behold ſuch is our expectation, whither we flee for help to be delivered from the King of Aſſyria. As if they ſhould have ſaid, You ſee what is become of thoſe Nations by whom we expected to be aided againſt the Aſſyrians; and how ſhall we eſcape? That is, If the Aſſyrians have deſtroyed theſe mighty Nations, on whom we relied; how ſhall we eſcape their fury? They that were not able to ſecure themſelves, are no way likely to defend us. And indeed when Sennacherib had vanquiſhed theſe their confederates, and over-run Judea, and was ſet down with a mighty Army before Jeruſalem, the condition of the Jews was deſperate enough in the eye of Reaſon, had not God miraculouſly delivered them.