Isaiah 20:1–6

A Prophecy Against Egypt and Cush

20 In the year that the supreme commander,o sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdodp and attacked and captured it—2 at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz.q He said to him, “Take off the sackclothr from your body and the sandalss from your feet.” And he did so, going around strippedt and barefoot.u

3 Then the Lord said, “Just as my servantv Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years,w as a signx and portenty against Egyptz and Cush,a a 4 so the kingb of Assyria will lead away strippedc and barefoot the Egyptian captivesd and Cushitee exiles, young and old, with buttocks baredf—to Egypt’s shame.g 5 Those who trustedh in Cushi and boasted in Egyptj will be dismayed and put to shame.k 6 In that dayl the people who live on this coast will say, ‘See what has happenedm to those we relied on,n those we fled to for helpo and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?p’ ”