Isaiah's Sign Against Egypt
Isaiah 20
At the Lord's command, Isaiah walks naked and barefoot for three years as a living sign that the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and Ethiopia in the same shameful condition. The chapter shows the people of the coastland realizing in dismay that the nations they trusted for protection cannot even save themselves.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonIN the year that Tanathan having been sent by Arna king of Assyria went to Azotus and fought against it and took it,
BrentonIn the year when Tanathan came to Azotus, when he was sent by Arna king of the Assyrians, and warred against Azotus, and took it;
GreekΤοῦ ἔτους ὅτε εἰσῆλθε Τανὰθαν εἰς Ἄζωτον, ἡνίκα ἀπεστάλη ὑπὸ Ἀρνᾶ βασιλέως Ἀσσυρίων, καὶ ἐπολέμησε τὴν Ἄζωτον, καὶ ἔλαβεν αὐτὴν,
KJVIn the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it;
JPSIn the year that Tartan came into Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it;
2
Thomsonat that time the Lord spoke to Esaias son of Amos saying, Go and take the sackcloth from thy loins and loose thy sandals from thy feet; and having done so walk stripped and barefoot.
Brentonthen the Lord spoke to Esaias the son of Amos, saying, Go and take the sackcloth off thy loins, and loose thy sandals from off thy feet, and do thus, going naked and barefoot.
Greekτότε ἐλάλησε Κύριος πρὸς Ἡσαΐαν υἱὸν Ἀμὼς, λέγων, πορεύου καὶ ἄφελε τὸν σάκκον ἀπὸ τῆς ὀσφύος σου, καὶ τὰ σανδάλιά σου ὑπόλυσαι ἀπὸ τῶν ποδῶν σου, καὶ ποίησον οὕτως, πορευόμενος γυμνὸς καὶ ἀνυπόδετος.
KJVAt the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
JPSat that time the LORD spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying: ‘Go, and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put thy shoe from off thy foot.’ And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
3
ThomsonAnd the Lord said, As My servant Esaias hath walked stripped and barefoot, three years; three years he shall be for signs and wonders to the Egyptians, and Ethiopians,
BrentonAnd the Lord said, As my servant Esaias has walked naked and barefoot three years, there shall be three years for signs and wonders to the Egyptians and Ethiopians;
GreekΚαὶ εἶπε Κύριος, ὃν τρόπον πεπόρευται ὁ παῖς μου Ἡσαΐας γυμνὸς καὶ ἀνυπόδετος τρία ἔτη, τρία ἔτη ἔσται εἰς σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις καὶ Αἰθίοψιν·
KJVAnd the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;
JPSAnd the LORD said: ‘Like as My servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot to be for three years a sign and a wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia,
4
Thomsonthat in this manner the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and Ethiopia, young and old, naked and barefoot, exposing to view the shame of Egypt.
Brentonfor thus shall the king of the Assyrians lead the captivity of Egypt and the Ethiopians, young men and old, naked and barefoot, having the shame of Egypt exposed.
GreekὍτι οὕτως ἄξει βασιλεὺς Ἀσσυρίων τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν Αἰγύπτου καὶ Αἰθιόπων, νεανίσκους καὶ πρεσβύτας, γυμνοὺς καὶ ἀνυποδέτους, ἀνακεκαλυμμένους τὴν αἰσχύνην Αἰγύπτου.
KJVSo shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.
JPSso shall the king of Assyria lead away the captives of Egypt, and the exiles of Ethiopia, young and old, naked and barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.
5
ThomsonAnd they, being subdued, shall be ashamed of the Ethiopians in whom the Egyptians had placed confidence; for they were their glory.
BrentonAnd the Egyptians being defeated shall be ashamed of the Ethiopians, in whom they had trusted; for they were their glory.
GreekΚαὶ αἰσχυνθήσονται ἡττηθέντες ἐπὶ τοῖς Αἰθίοψιν, ἐφʼ οἷς ἦσαν πεποιθότες οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι, ἦσαν γὰρ αὐτοῖς δόξα.
KJVAnd they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.
JPS—
6
ThomsonAnd in that day the inhabitants of this country will say: Behold we trusted to flee for help to them, who were unable to deliver themselves from the king of Assyria: how then shall we escape?
BrentonAnd they that dwell in this island shall say in that day, Behold, we trusted to flee to them for help, who could not save themselves from the king of the Assyrians: and how shall we be saved?
GreekΚαὶ ἐροῦσιν οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν τῇ νήσῳ ταύτῃ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς ἦμεν πεποιθότες τοῦ φυγεῖν εἰς αὐτοὺς εἰς βοήθειαν, οἳ οὐκ ἠδύναντο σωθῆναι ἀπὸ βασιλέως Ἀσσυρίων, καὶ πῶς ἡμεῖς σωθησόμεθα; ΤΟ ὍΡΑΜΑ ΤΗΣ ἘΡΗΜΟΥ.
KJVAnd the inhabitant of this isle shall say in that day, Behold, such is our expectation, whither we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria: and how shall we escape?
JPSAnd the inhabitant of this coast-land shall say in that day: Behold, such is our expectation, whither we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria; and how shall we escape?’