Isaiah 20

Wesley: Sargon—Sennacherib, who, before he came to Jerusalem, came up against and took all the walled cities of Judah, of which Ashdod might be reckoned one, as being in the tribe of Judah. Ashdod taken in that year.

The date is a year under Assyria. Philistine Ashdod, Sargon’s captain, not a twenty-first-century siege.

Calvin: in the year that Tartan came to Ashdod. He shews that Israel will be put to shame by this chastisement of the Egyptians, because they placed their confidence in Egypt. He now joins Ethiopia. Sacred history informs us that Tartan was one of Sennacherib’s captains, which constrains us to acknowledge that this Sargon was Sennacherib, who had two names. The ten tribes had been led into captivity; Tartan was besieging Ashdod; nothing was now left for the Jews but to call foreign nations to their aid.

The capture is dated so the vain hope can be named. Assyria takes Ashdod.

Wesley: Sackcloth—which he wore in token of his grief for the calamities that were already come upon Israel, and were coming upon Judah. Naked—not wholly naked, but without his upper garment, as slaves and prisoners used to do, whose posture he was to represent. Bare-foot—after the manner of mourners and captives. Neither side disputes this: the prophet walks the sign.

The sign is a walk in Judah. Do not restage nakedness as spectacle, and do not aim it at a modern people.

Calvin: Go, and loosen the sackcloth from thy loins. In order to confirm this prophecy by the use of a symbol, he is commanded to walk naked and barefoot. The Lord spoke by Isaiah: the prophet is God’s servant in the sign, as he will be called in v. 3. He did so: obedience to the word, that Judah might see Egypt’s future in a man of Judah.

Sackcloth loosed, sandals off.

Wesley: Three years—not constantly, but when he went abroad among the people, to whom this was appointed for a sign. A sign—when this judgment should come, namely, three years after this prophecy. Three years against Egypt and Cush.

The counted years are that age’s clock, not a twenty-first-century date scheme.

Calvin: three years. Why for such a period? Because that was the time granted to the Egyptians and Ethiopians till they should be carried into captivity. As my servant Isaiah has walked: the sign is the prophet’s own body, a portent against those two nations on whom Judah leaned.

The three years are the Lord’s appointment. Common confession: a sign and portent against Egypt and Cush.

Wesley: Uncovered—having their garments cut off by the middle. On this both agree: young and old led as the prophet walked.

The shame is Egypt’s and Cush’s under Assyria.

Calvin: the captivity of Egypt and the removal of Ethiopia. So the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the Ethiopian exiles, naked and barefoot, with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. The sign in the prophet’s flesh is the thing itself: the hope of Judah stripped.

Naked and barefoot, young and old.

Wesley: They—all that shall trust to them. But under this general expression the Israelites seem to be principally intended. Cush the hope, Egypt the boast, then shame.

Those who trusted Egypt and Cush will be ashamed of both. The lesson is not to seek security in foreign powers instead of in the LORD.

Calvin: and they shall be afraid. He now shews for whose benefit he had foretold these things: that the Jews might not rely on Egypt and Ethiopia. They shall be ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory. The Lord takes away the props that they may learn to rest on him alone.

Dismay is mercy’s lesson. Ashamed of Cush and Egypt.

Wesley: Of the country—of this land, in which the prophet was, and to whose inhabitants these words were uttered. Such—so vain is our hope placed upon such a people as are unable to deliver themselves. Both traditions agree: how shall we escape?

The warning still calls them off the Nile.

Calvin: lo, what is become of our expectation? He calls them expectation, or lurking, because the Jews looked toward them and hid themselves under their shadow. The inhabitant of this isle shall say in that day: so vain is the hope placed upon such a people as are unable to deliver themselves. And we, how will we escape? When the props fall, they see that they must deal with the king of Assyria before God, not behind Egypt.

Those in whom we hoped cannot save.