Isaiah 20:2

Isa 20:2 At 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.

Ver. 2. At the same time spake the Lord.] Against Egypt and Ethiopia, whom he had comforted, Isa 19:18-19, and yet now again threateneth; showing by an ocular demonstration {a} what miseries should befall them. This was done in Jewry; but the report thereof might easily come to these confederate countries, and the Jews, howsoever, were given hereby to see how vain a thing it was to trust to such confederates.

By Isaiah the son of Amoz.] Heb., By the hand of Isaiah, whom God used as a dispenser of this precious treasure.

Go, loose the sackcloth from off thy loins,] i.e., Thy thick rough garment, {b} such as prophets usually wore. {2Ki 1:8 Zec 13:4 Mat 3:4} Or else thy sackcloth put on as a mourning weed, either for ten tribes lately carried captive, or else for the miseries ready to fall shortly upon thine own people.

And put off thy shoe from thy foot.] The Nudipedales in Moravia might as well avouch Isaiah for their founder as the Carmelites do Elias.

And he did so.] God is to be obeyed without hesitation: his commands, how unreasonable soever they may seem, are not to be disputed, but despatched.

Walking naked.] Not stark naked, but stripped as a prisoner, his mantle or upper garment cast off. See 1Sa 19:24 Act 19:16 Mic 1:8.

{a} οφθαλμοειδως, i.e., Per Isaiam tanquam organum et dispensatorem suorum myster. - Oecolamp.

{b} Vestimentum vilosum.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Isa_20:2

Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins

Isaiah stripped and barefooted

Owing to the great importance which is attributed to clothing from the standpoint of Oriental culture and manners, anyone who appears without the upper garment is already regarded as naked and bare.

Isaiah has to lay off the garment of the preacher of repentance and of the mourner, so that only his tunic remains; and in this dress, and moreover barefooted, he has to appear in public. It is the costume of a man who had been robbed and disgraced, of a beggar, it may be, or a prisoner of war. (F. Delitzsch.)

Gods appointment magnifies mean things

The appointment of God renders those things and actions which in themselves seem mean and contemptible, momentous and useful: it stamps them with real dignity and importance, and makes them truly instructive. View the ceremonial institutions of the Old Testament, such as circumcision, abstinence from particular kinds of food and of raiment, uncleanness contracted by touching certain objects, and sprinkling the tabernacle with blood, and they appear trifling and ridiculous. Contemplate them again as the ordinances of God, infinitely wise and gracious, and you may discern their excellence and extensive utility. Look at our prophet as he is here described, and you see an odd appearance; but consider him acting by Divine commission, that he might represent to his countrymen the future naked and destitute condition to which those nations were to be reduced in whom they foolishly placed their confidence, and every circumstance acquires new consequence. (R. Macculloch.)

Isaiahs obedience

When we are in the way of our duty we must trust God both with our credit and with our safety. (M. Henry.)

Gods purpose dignifies what might otherwise be scandalous

If the dress was scandalous, yet the design was glorious. (M. Henry.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Isa 20:2. Go loose the sackcloth from off thy loins — By the sackcloth is meant either the hairy garment usually worn by the prophets, or a mournful habit, such as was commonly made of sackcloth which he wore in token of his grief for the great calamities that were already come upon Israel, and were coming on Judah. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot — Not wholly naked, but without his upper garment; as slaves and prisoners used to do, whose condition he was to represent. This action was both agreeable to the mode of instruction made use of in those times, and, as it was intended to excite the attention of the Israelites, was likewise very well adapted to promote that intention. — Vitringa.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20:2 Prophets characteristically wore burlap or other rough clothing as a sign of mourning over the sins of the people (see 2 Kgs 1:8; Mark 1:6). • naked: That is, exposed in some way, possibly even completely nude.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Which signifieth that the Prophet did lament the misery that he saw prepared, before the three years that he went naked and barefooted.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

by--literally, "by the hand of" (compare Eze 3:14).

sackcloth--the loose outer garment of coarse dark hair-cloth worn by mourners (Sa2 3:31) and by prophets, fastened at the waist by a girdle (Mat 3:4; Kg2 1:8; Zac 13:4).

naked--rather, "uncovered"; he merely put off the outer sackcloth, retaining still the tunic or inner vest (Sa1 19:24; Amo 2:16; Joh 21:7); an emblem to show that Egypt should be stripped of its possessions; the very dress of Isaiah was a silent exhortation to repentance.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 2. Walking naked and barefoot.] It is not probable that the prophet walked uncovered and barefoot for three years; his appearing in that manner was a sign that within three years the Egyptians and Cushites should be in the same condition, being conquered and made captives by the king of Assyria. The time was denoted as well as the event; but his appearing in that manner for three whole years could give no premonition of the time at all. It is probable, therefore, that the prophet was ordered to walk so for three days to denote the accomplishment of the event in three years; a day for a year, according to the prophetical rule, Nu 14:34; Eze 4:6. The words שלש ימים shalosh yamim, three days, may possibly have been lost out of the text, at the end of the second verse, after יחף yacheph, barefoot; or after the same word in the third verse, where, in the Alexandrine and Vatican copies of the Septuagint, and in MSS. Pachom. and I. D. II. the words τρια ετη, three years, are twice expressed. Perhaps, instead of שלש ימים shalosh yamim, three days, the Greek translator might read שלש שנים shalosh shanim, three years, by his own mistake, or by that of his copy, after יחף yacheph in the third verse, for which stands the first τρια ετη, three years, in the Alexandrine and Vatican Septuagint, and in the two MSS. above mentioned. It is most likely that Isaiah's walking naked and barefoot was done in a vision; as was probably that of the Prophet Hosea taking a wife of whoredoms. None of these things can well be taken literally.

From thy foot] רגליך ragleycha, thy feet, is the reading of thirty-four of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., four ancient editions, with the Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, and Arabic.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(2) Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins.—Against these schemes Isaiah was prompted to prophesy in act as well as words. Month by month, for three whole years, he was seen in the streets of Jerusalem as one who was already as a prisoner of war, ready to be led into an ignominious exile. The “sackcloth” was the “rough garment” which, like Elijah (2Ki_1:8) and John the Baptist, the prophets habitually wore (Zec_13:4), and the “nakedness” was confined to the laying aside this outer robe, and appearing in the short tunic worn near the body (1Sa_19:24; 2Sa_6:14-20; Joh_21:7). Like instances of prophetic symbolism are the horns of Zedekiah in 1Ki_22:11, the yokes worn by Jeremiah (Jer_27:2), Ezekiel’s lying on his side (Eze_4:4), and the girdle with which Agabus bound himself (Act_21:11).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. This verse is an explanatory parenthesis. The command here mentioned must have been given three years before the oracle of Isa_20:3 ff.; hence the expression “at that time” must be understood in a loose sense and for spake we must render “had spoken.”

sackcloth] the rough garment of hair or coarse linen worn by mourners in lieu of the customary upper garment; also by prophets (2Ki_1:8; Zec_13:4). It is rather surprising to find that Isaiah wore this distinctive badge of his profession. He is directed to “ungird” (and lay aside) this and walk “naked,” i.e. in his under-garment (the kuttôneth), cf. 1Sa_19:24; Joh_21:7. The action was expressive of the deepest degradation, and involved no small sacrifice for a man of Isaiah’s position. But that he actually performed it cannot reasonably be questioned. Cf. Mic_1:8.

3, resuming Isa_20:1, gives the interpretation of the symbol.

my servant Isaiah] Isaiah is Jehovah’s “servant” as a prophet. Cf. Amo_3:7; Num_12:7.

sign and wonder] see ch. Isa_8:18. By the accents the words “three years” are attached to this clause in order to convey the sense “a three-years’ sign,” meaning “a sign of an event which is to happen after three years.” But this is very unnatural, and was evidently suggested by a desire to avoid the notion that the action was kept up for so long a time.

upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia] Ethiopia was at this time the paramount influence in the Nile-valley, Upper Egypt being completely under its sway, while Lower Egypt was divided amongst a number of petty princes. The Sab’é, or Sib‘i (? Sevé), whom Sargon defeated in 720 is usually identified with the Ethiopian Sabako. Winckler, however, doubts this, and takes Sab’é to have been one of the small kings of the Delta. (See also Cheyne’s Note in 2nd Ed. of Robertson Smith’s Prophets of Israel, p. 428.) “Upon” may be either against or concerning.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

At the same time spake the Lord by Isaiah the son of Amoz,.... Or, "by the hand of Isaiah", by his means; and it was to him likewise, as the following words show; and so the Septuagint version renders it; he spoke by him, by the sign he used, according to his order, and he spoke to him to use the sign:

saying; so the Arabic version, "with him"; and with these versions Noldius agrees:

go, and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins; a token of mourning, and which the prophet wore, as Kimchi thinks, because of the captivity of the ten tribes; and it may be also on account of the miseries that were coming upon the people of the Jews; though some think this was his common garb, and the same with the royal garment the prophets used to wear, Zac 13:4 but that he had put off, and had put on sackcloth in its room, which he is now bid to take off:

and put off thy shoe from thy foot; as a sign of distress and mourning also, Sa2 15:30,

and he did so, walking naked and barefoot; Kimchi thinks this was only visionally, or in the vision of prophecy, as he calls it, and not in reality; but the latter seems most probable, and best to agree with what follows; for he was obedient to the divine command, not regarding the disgrace which might attend it, nor the danger of catching cold, to which he was exposed; and hence he has the character of a servant of the Lord, in the next words, and a faithful obedient one he was.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

By Isaiah - Margin, ‘By the hand of Isaiah.’ So the Hebrew. That is, by the instrumentality of Isaiah. He sent him to make known the fate of the Egyptians, and the folly of trusting in them on this occasion.

Go, and loose the sackcloth - For the meaning of the word “sackcloth,” see the note at Isa 3:24. It was commonly worn as an emblem of mourning. But there is reason to believe that it was worn also by the prophets, and was regarded, in some degree, as their appropriate dress. It was made usually of the coarse hair of the goat, and was worn as a zone or girdle around the loins. That this was the dress of Elijah is apparent from 2Ki 1:8 : ‘He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather;’ that is, he was clothed in a garment made of hair. The same was true of John the Baptist Mat 3:4. That the prophets wore ‘a rough garment’ is apparent also from Zec 13:4 : ‘Neither shall they (the false prophets) wear a rough garment (Hebrew, A garment of hair) to deceive;’ that is, the false prophets shall not assume the dress of the true prophets for the purpose of deluding the people, or to make them think that they are true prophets. It is evident, therefore, that this hairy garment was regarded as a dress that pertained particularly to the prophets. It is well known, also, that the ancient Greek philosophers had a special dress to distinguish them from the common people. Probably the custom of wearing “hair cloth” among the monks of later ages took its rise from this example of the prophets. His removing this garment was designed to be a sign or an emblem to show that the Egyptians should be stripped of all their possessions, and carried captive to Assyria.

Walking naked - That is, walking “without this special prophetic garment. It does not mean that he was in a state of entire nudity, for all that he was directed to do was to lay this garment - this emblem of his office - aside. The word “naked,” moreover, is used in the Scriptures, not to denote an absolute destitution of clothing, but that the “outer” garment was laid aside (see the note at Joh 21:7). Thus it is said of Saul 1Sa 19:24 that he ‘stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day;’ that is, he stripped off his royal robes, and was “naked or unclothed” in that respect. He removed his “special” dress as a king, or military chieftain, and appeared in the ordinary dress. It cannot be supposed that the king of Israel would be seen literally without raiment. So David is said to have danced “naked” before the ark, that is, with his royal robes laid aside. How “long” Isaiah walked in this manner has been a matter of doubt (see the note at Isa 20:3). The prophets were accustomed to use symbolic actions to denote the events which they foretold (see the note at Isa 8:18). Thus the children of Isaiah, and the names given to them, were significant of important events (Isa 8:1-3; compare Jer 18:1-6; Jer 43:8-9); in both of which places he used emblematic actions to exhibit the events concerning which he prophesied in a striking manner. Thus also the prophets are expressly called ‘signs and wonders’ Zec 3:8; Eze 12:6.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Sackcloth. The prophets lived in poverty, Zacharias xiii. 4. Their persons were prophetic. It is not agreed whether Isaias went quite naked, or only without his upper garment. The former supposition would represent better the condition of slaves, (ver. 4.) and is adopted by St. Jerome, &c. (Calmet) --- People are said to be naked when they are almost so, 2 Kings vi., and John xxi. (Haydock) --- Yet "nothing is more honest than to obey God." (St. Jerome) (Worthington)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Loose the sackcloth; ungird it and put it off; the antecedent put for the consequent, which is very usual, as hath been often noted. God would sometimes have his prophets to add to their word a visible sign, to awaken people’s minds to a more serious consideration of the matters proposed to them.

The sackcloth; either,

1. His coarse and hairy garment, which the prophets used to wear, 2Ki 1:8; Zec 13:4, as many understand it. But that is expressed by another word in the places quoted, and never, to my knowledge, by this word. Or,

2. His mournful habit, which was commonly made of sackcloth, and which he wore in token of his hearty grief for the great calamities which were already come upon Israel, and were either come or coming upon Judah.

From off thy loins; upon which the upper garments were commonly girt, 1Ki 20:32; 2Ki 9.

1.

Walking naked; not wholly naked, which had been indecent and scandalous, and withal very dangerous, at least to do so for three years, as he did, Isa 20:3; but without his upper garment, as slaves and prisoners used to do, whose posture he was to represent, Isa 20:4. And so the word naked is used 1Sa 19:24; 2Sa 6:20; Joh 21:7. Thus also men are said to be naked when they are ill clothed, as Job 22:6; Mat 25:36; 1Co 4:11; Jam 2:15.

Barefoot; after the manner of mourners, 2Sa 15:30, and captives, Jer 2:25.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. Loose the sackcloth — An outward garment, and not unfrequently worn as a badge of humiliation, and symbol of unwelcome tidings. It was the habitual covering of the prophet, especially in the dark days of those sieges in the vicinity of Jerusalem on the Philistine plains below. Isaiah, divesting himself of this and of his sandals — thus stripped of all clothing save his undergarment or tunic — was a symbolic prediction, or picture of some unusual suffering. The “sackcloth” was probably of goats’ hair; it was the covering of Elijah, and usually of other — even of false — prophets. Zec_13:4.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Loose the sackcloth from off thy loins. Dr. Kay supposes that Isaiah was wearing sackcloth exceptionally, as during a time of mourning. But it is more probable that the Hebrew sak represents the haircloth, ("rough garment," Zec_13:4) which, as ascetics, the Hebrew prophets wore habitually. (2Ki_1:8 Mat_3:4) Walking naked. Probably not actually "naked," for captives were not stripped bare by the Assyrians, but with nothing on besides his short tunic, as the male captives are commonly represented in the Assyrian sculptures.

HOMILIES BY R. TUCK Vers. 2, 3. Divine revelation in actions as well as words.

The language is somewhat uncertain, but it seems better to understand that, for three years, Isaiah was seen going to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, having the dress and appearance of one who was already a prisoner of war, ready to be led into an ignominious exile. Isaiah wore no upper or outer garment, and no sandals, so that, when his dress was compared with that of others, he might be said to go naked; but "naked" in Scripture usually means "with only under-garments on." The three years were, perhaps, designed to represent three incursions of the Assyrians. The general topic suggested is the variety of forms which Divine revelations may take; the diversity of agencies which Divine revelation may employ. All modes by which man may he reached and influenced God may take up and use for conveying his mind and will.

I REVELATION IN NATURE. We often speak of a voice in nature. That voice God may employ. The beautiful, the sublime, the gentle, affect us, and bring to us thoughts of God"s goodness, wisdom, and power. This kind of revelation St. Paul recognizes, pleading thus at Lystra, (Act_14:17) Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness;" and writing thus to the Romans, (Rom_1:20) "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead." What is called natural religion is that common knowledge of God, and of our duty to God, which comes through nature alone; and God has so made us kin with nature, has so set us in relation with an external world, that we can receive moral impressions through it.

II REVELATION IN INCIDENTS. Events of personal life and of public history convey God"s mind to us. And therefore so much of our Bible is but a treasured record of facts and incidents. Our Lord"s life on the earth was full of incidents, and we find in these the truths which God purposed, by Christ, to teach us. We are constantly receiving fresh revelations, new to us individually, though not new to the world, through the circumstances of public or of private life. We often think of this as God"s voice in providence.

III REVELATION IN MINDS. Or in those parts of man that are distinct from the senses. What we think of as the spiritual nature of man, including his conscience. God"s witness in this part of our being is argued by St. Paul, when, writing of the heathen, to whom a book revelation has not been given, he says, (Rom_2:15) "Which show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another." We must guard against the notion that God has put all his will into a book, and has now no direct access to our souls. What is true is that we can test all direct revelations by their harmony with the revelation that is written.

IV REVELATION IN SYMBOLS. Since symbols do convey ideas to men, God may use them. Illustrate by vision of divided pieces to Abraham; pillar of cloud to Israel; angel with drawn sword to David; fire-flash to Israel on Carmel, etc. And, to take symbols of another character, the prophets acted things before the people, making impressions without employing words as Isaiah here; as Zedekiah"s horns; (1Ki_22:11) Jeremiah"s yokes; (Jer_27:2) Ezekiel"s lying on his side; (Eze_4:4) and Agabus"binding himself with his girdle. (Act_21:11)

V REVELATION IN WORDS. The more ordinary method of communication between man and man. This opens up the opportunity of showing

(1) the reasonableness and

(2) the practical efficiency of a book revelation, and of commending that Collection of revelations which we call Holy Scripture.

Howsoever God may be pleased to speak to us, our duty is to heed, listening with the cherished purpose that we will carry out the Divine will in all holy and loving obedience. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

“At that time spake Jehovah by the hand of Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go, and thou shalt open (i.e., loose) the sackcloth from upon thy loins, and thy shoe thou shalt pull off from upon thy foot. And he did so, going naked and barefoot.” The word naked is used to express partial denudation in all languages. As biblical examples, may be cited 1Sa 19:24; 2Sa 6:20; Amo 2:16; Joh 21:7. In the case before us, we may either suppose that the sackcloth was an upper garment which he threw entirely off, or an inner garment which he opened by ungirding it, or a girdle itself which he loosened and perhaps removed. Sackcloth was a common mourning dress, and some suppose that Isaiah was now wearing it in token of his grief for the exile of the ten tribes. Others understand it as an official or ascetic dress worn by the Prophets (Zec 13:4) as for instance by Elijah (2Ki 1:8) and by John the Baptist (Mat 3:4). Others again suppose that it is mentioned as a cheap coarse dress worn by the Prophet in common with the humbler class of people. By the hand denotes ministerial agency or intervention, and is often used in reference to communications made to the people through the prophets (Exo 4:13; 1Sa 16:20; Jer 37:2). So in this case, the divine communication was really addressed to the people, though the words immediately ensuing are addressed to the Prophet him self. It is not necessary to suppose that the phrase has exclusive reference to the symbolical action.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

and you shall gird sackcloth over your loins (וּפִתַּחְתָּ) Jonathan renders: “And you shall gird the sackcloth over your loins.” And his interpretation is evidenced by the fact that until now, He had not commanded him to gird himself with sackcloth, that He should tell him to remove it. Moreover, when He tells him, “And you shall remove your shoes from upon your feet,” this is a sign of mourning. (It is, therefore, likely that He commanded him to gird himself with sackcloth, also a sign of mourning.) And the meaning of וּפִתַּחְתָּ is like: (Exodus 39:6) “Engraved like the engravings of a seal (מְפֻתָּחוֹת פִּתּוּחֵי חוֹתָם),” to gird himself with sackcloth tightly on his flesh, so that it appears to be engraved in his flesh.

over your loins above your loins.

naked (עָרוֹם). Jonathan renders: פְּחֵיחַ, with torn and worn out clothing, but not actually naked.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

And loose the sackcloth, etc. This shows that the prophet wore sackcloth. It would be a strange thing that the prophet should have gone naked, as a sign for Egypt. I shall explain this circumstance, with the help of the Lord, at the beginning of the minor prophets (Hos. 1:1).

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.