Bible Strands
Isaiah 20:1
Before the year that the chief commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrative places the event chronologically at the outset of a specific Assyrian military campaign, introducing the moment before Sargon’s chief commander arrives at Ashdod. Isaiah 20:2 immediately follows by recording the Lord’s command to Isaiah to perform a prophetic sign during this same period.
The words — תַרְתָּן (tar.Tan) = [the] supreme commander and אַשְׁדּוֹד (ash.Do.da) = Ashdod.
The thread — The title Tartan appears again in 2 Kings 18:17 as part of the Assyrian royal staff, while Ashdod is consistently identified as a principal Philistine city in 1 Samuel 5:1 and 1 Samuel 6:17.
Why it lands — It anchors prophetic action in verifiable history, requiring the reader to treat divine instruction as operating within concrete political and military realities rather than abstract spiritual concepts.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it;
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 18:17 Nevertheless, the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh, along with a great army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They advanced up to Jerusalem and stationed themselves by the aqueduct of the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field.
- 1 Samuel 5:1 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod,
- 1 Samuel 6:17 As a guilt offering to the LORD, the Philistines had sent back one gold tumor for each city: Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.
- Jeremiah 25:20 all the mixed tribes; all the kings of Uz; all the kings of the Philistines: Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;
- Jeremiah 25:29 For behold, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears My Name, so how could you possibly go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, declares the LORD of Hosts.’
- Amos 1:8 I will cut off the ruler of Ashdod and the one who wields the scepter in Ashkelon. I will turn My hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,” says the Lord GOD.