Isaiah 20:4

so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, naked and barefoot, with bared buttocks—to Egypt’s shame.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD delivers this declaration through the prophet Isaiah immediately following three years of Isaiah’s naked and barefoot prophetic sign against Egypt and Cush.

The words — The Hebrew יִנְהַג (yin.Hag) means “he will lead away,” denoting the Assyrian king’s active role in the captivity, while כֵּן (ken) functions as “so” to bind this outcome directly to Isaiah’s preceding sign.

The thread — The motif of forced captivity and public shame recurs in Isaiah 19:4, where a fierce king rules over Egypt, and in Jeremiah 13:22, Jeremiah 13:26, where exposed skirts symbolize divine shame.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that political reliance on Egypt and Cush will collapse, leaving their supporters stripped of dignity and exposed to the very shame they sought to avoid.

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

כֵּ֣ןkenso יִנְהַ֣גyin.Haghe will lead away מֶֽלֶךְ־Me.lekh-[the] king of אַ֠שּׁוּר'A.shurAssyria אֶת־'et-<obj.>שְׁבִ֨יshe.Vi[the] captive[s] of מִצְרַ֜יִםmitz.Ra.yimEgypt וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>גָּל֥וּתga.Lut[the] exile[s] of כּ֛וּשׁkushCush נְעָרִ֥יםne.'a.Rimyoung men וּזְקֵנִ֖יםu./ze.ke.Nimand/ old [men]עָר֣וֹםa.Romnaked וְיָחֵ֑ףve./ya.Chefand/ barefoot וַחֲשׂוּפַ֥יva./cha.su.Faiand/ [ones] uncovered of שֵׁ֖תshetbuttock עֶרְוַ֥ת'er.Vat[the] nakedness of מִצְרָֽיִם׃mitz.Ra.yimEgypt

King James Version

So 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.

Cross-references

Isaiah 19:4 I will deliver the Egyptians into the hands of a harsh master, and a fierce king will rule over them,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.
Jeremiah 13:22 And if you ask yourself, “Why has this happened to me?” It is because of the magnitude of your iniquity that your skirts have been stripped off and your body has been exposed.
Jeremiah 13:26 So I will pull your skirts up over your face, that your shame may be seen.
2 Samuel 10:4 So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.
Isaiah 3:17 the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will make their foreheads bare.”
Isaiah 47:3 Your nakedness will be uncovered and your shame will be exposed. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.”
Jeremiah 46:26 I will deliver them into the hands of those who seek their lives—of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But after this, Egypt will be inhabited as in days of old, declares the LORD.
Ezekiel 30:18 The day will be darkened in Tahpanhes when I break the yoke of Egypt and her proud strength comes to an end. A cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity.
Micah 1:11 Depart in shameful nakedness, O dwellers of Shaphir. The dwellers of Zaanan will not come out. Beth-ezel is in mourning; its support is taken from you.
Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.