Isaiah 20

No Help from Cush or Egypt

¹In the year that the chief commander, ^a sent by King Sargon of Assyria, came to Ashdod ^b and attacked and captured it #— # ²during that time the Lord had spoken through Isaiah ^c son of Amoz, saying, “Go, take off your sackcloth from your waist and remove the sandals from your feet,” and he did that, going stripped and barefoot ^d #— # ³the Lord said, “As my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush, ^{e 4}so the king of Assyria will lead the captives of Egypt ^f and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, stripped and barefoot, with bared buttocks #— #to Egypt’s shame. ⁵Those who made Cush their hope and Egypt their boast will be dismayed and ashamed. ^{g 6}And the inhabitants of this coastland will say on that day, ‘Look, this is what has happened to those we relied on and fled to for help to rescue us from the king of Assyria! Now, how will we escape? ’ ”