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英語原文
This chapter is a prediction of the carrying away of multitudes both of the Egyptians and the Ethiopians into captivity by the king of Assyria. Here is, I. The sign by which this was foretold, which was the prophet's going for some time barefoot and almost naked, like a poor captive, Isa 20:1,2. II. The explication of that sign, with application to Egypt and Ethiopia, Isa 20:3-5. III. The good use which the people of God should make of this, which is never to trust in an arm of flesh, because thus it will deceive them, Isa 20:6.
1-6
Threatenings against Egypt (713 BC)
简体中文
向埃及所发的警告（公元前713年）
¹ 亚述王撒珥根打发元帅他珥探到亚实突的那年，他上去攻击亚实突，将城攻取。 ² 那时耶和华借亚摩斯的儿子以赛亚说：「你去解掉腰间的麻布，脱下脚上的鞋。」以赛亚就这样做，露身赤脚而行。 ³ 耶和华说：「我仆人以赛亚怎样露身赤脚行走三年，作为关乎埃及和古实的预兆奇迹， ⁴ 照样，亚述王也必带埃及人作掳物，带古实人作俘虏，无论老少，都露身赤脚，甚至露出下体，使埃及蒙羞。 ⁵ 他们必因自己所仰望的古实、所夸耀的埃及，惊惶羞愧。 ⁶ 那日，这沿海一带的居民必说：『看哪，我们素来所仰望的，正是这些人——我们为脱离亚述王逃奔他们求救，如今我们怎能逃脱呢？』」
神在此作为列国之王，使严重的灾祸临到埃及和古实；又作为圣徒之王，却从其中为他百姓带出益处。请看，
一、这预言的日期。那是亚实突——非利士人的坚固城（有人认为它近来被希西家从非利士人手中夺回，因他击打非利士人直到迦萨，王下 18:8）——被亚述大军围攻攻取的那一年。那一年是希西家在位的第几年并不确定，但那事件如此重大，当时的人可以借此记号把时间精确到哪一年。此时作亚述王的称为撒珥根，有人认为就是西拿基立；另有人认为他是西拿基立的直接前任，接续撒缦以色。他珥探是这次征战的元帅，即总司令，他是西拿基立的臣仆之一，西拿基立差遣他与拉伯沙基一同向希西家挑衅（王下 18:17）。
二、以赛亚因他外出时所穿的不寻常服饰，成了一个预兆。他因一段时间以来所穿的麻布——他做了一件长袍束在腰间——已成了自己百姓的预兆，预示着已经临到和将要临到他们的悲惨时日。有人认为他是因十支派被掳而以哀悼者的装束自居。另有人认为麻布是他作为先知平常所穿的，表明自己向世界已死，并学习忍受艰苦；柔和的衣服更宜于侍立在王宫的人（太 11:8），而奉神差遣的人则不然。以利亚穿毛衣（王下 1:8），施洗约翰也如此（太 3:4），那些假冒为先知的人也借穿粗衣来支持他们的伪装（亚 13:4）；但以赛亚在此所得的吩咐，是解掉腰间的麻布——不是换上更好的衣服，而是什么也不换上——不要外衣，不要披风、外套或长袍，只贴身的，我们可推想是衬衣、贴身衣和亵衣；他还要脱下鞋，赤脚而行；这样与别人的衣着、与他平时所穿的相比，他可说是露身而行。这对先知是极大的难处；这是他名誉上的瑕疵，必使他受轻视和讥诮；街上的孩童必向他叫嚷，那些寻找把柄攻击他的人必说：先知真是愚昧人，受灵感的是狂妄人（何 9:7）。这也可能损害他的健康；他有患感冒的危险，那可能使他发热，甚至丧命；但神吩咐他如此行，好叫他借这条最难遵守的命令来证明他的顺服，借此显出他百姓对最容易、最合理的诫命的不顺服是何等可耻。当我们在尽本分的道路上，可以将自己的名声和安全都交托给神。那百姓的心极其顽钝，单凭所听见的事不会受感，必须用预兆来教训，所以以赛亚必须为他们得益处如此行。这装束虽为人所不齿，但这目的却是荣耀的，是主的先知不必引以为耻的。
三、这预兆的解释（赛 20:3,4）。它的用意是表明埃及人和古实人必被亚述王这样剥光、或衣衫褴褛、衣着极其破旧地掳去，正如以赛亚那样。神称他为我仆人以赛亚，因为在这事上他特别证明自己是神乐意、忠心、顺服的仆人；正因这事——也许是别人所讥笑的事——神在他身上得荣耀。听命胜于献祭；听命更讨神喜悦、更赞美神，也必更多蒙神赞美。经上说以赛亚露身赤脚行走三年——在那段时间里每当他以先知身份出现时都如此。但有人将「三年」不归于预兆，而归于预兆所指之事：他露身赤脚行了——原文此处有停顿；只要他行过一次，就足以让周围的人询问他这样行的意义；或如有人所想，他行了三天，一天抵一年；这是三年之久的预兆和奇迹——是三年之后要行之事的预兆，或要行三年的事的预兆。亚述军必接连三次出阵，劫掠埃及人和古实人，并以这样野蛮的方式将他们掳去——不只是战场上所擒的兵丁，连居民，无论老少，都如此；这是极其凄惨的景象，凡尚存一点怜悯之心的人，看见那些平生衣着整齐的人如今被剥光，几乎没有破布遮体的，必大动慈心——所以他们被掳的这一情形被特别留意、特别预言，为要更感动那些领受这预言的人。经上特别说这是使埃及蒙羞（赛 20:4），因为埃及人是骄傲的民族，所以他们陷入羞辱时尤其可耻；他们自己抬举得越高，跌落得越低——无论在他们自己眼中还是在别人眼中。
四、这事的用处和应用（赛 20:5,6）。1. 凡倚赖埃及和古实、与他们有往来的人，如今都必以他们为耻，并害怕与他们有任何瓜葛。那些有被亚述人席卷之虞的列国，本来盼望古实王特哈加能以他众多的军力阻止亚述得胜之师的推进，作邻舍的屏障；他们更有把握地夸口，埃及——一个以谋略和勇武闻名的国——必能成事，必迫使亚述人解亚实突之围、仓皇退兵。但事实相反，他们试图抵挡亚述王，反而暴露了自己，使本国成为他的猎物。于是四围的人都羞愧，竟曾指望从这样懦弱胆怯的两个国得着什么益处，并比从前更害怕亚述王日益增长的大势——在它面前，埃及和古实不过像放在吞灭之火路上的荆棘蒺藜，只能使火烧得更旺。注意，凡以任何受造之物为他的盼望和荣耀，将其置于神之位的，迟早必以之为耻；他在其中的失望只能加增他的恐惧。参结 29:6,7。2. 犹大人特别要因倚靠这样折断的芦苇而显出愚妄，对他们再不存任何指望（赛 20:6）：这沿海一带的居民（指犹大地，地处海滨，虽非四面环海），或作「这地的居民」（旁注）；如今人人都要睁开眼睛说：「看哪，我们素来所仰望的，正是这样虚妄、这样愚拙，这正是它要落的下场。我们曾逃到埃及人和古实人那里求救，盼望借他们脱离亚述王；但他们既如此被击破，我们这些不能像他们那样召聚大军上阵的，怎能逃脱呢？」 注意：（1）倚靠受造之物的必失望，必因所信的蒙羞；因为人的帮助是虚妄的，从丘陵或从众山之高、众山之多指望拯救也是徒然。（2）在受造之物上失望，不当驱使我们陷入绝望（如此处所说*「我们怎能逃脱呢？」*），而当驱使我们归向神；因为我们若逃奔他求帮助，我们的盼望必不落空。
英語原文
Threatenings against Egypt (713 BC)
¹ In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it;
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.
³ And 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;
⁴ 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.
⁵ And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.
⁶ And 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?
God here, as King of nations, brings a sore calamity upon Egypt and Ethiopia, but, as King of saints, brings good to his people out of it. Observe,
I. The date of this prophecy. It was in the year that Ashdod, a strong city of the Philistines (but which some think was lately recovered from them by Hezekiah, when he smote the Philistines even unto Gaza, 2Ki 18:8), was besieged and taken by an army of the Assyrians. It is uncertain what year of Hezekiah that was, but the event was so remarkable that those who lived then could by that token fix the time to a year. He that was now king of Assyria is called Sargon, which some take to be the same with Sennacherib; others think he was his immediate predecessor, and succeeded Shalmaneser. Tartan, who was general, or commander-in-chief, in this expedition, was one of Sennacherib's officers, sent by him to bid defiance to Hezekiah, in concurrence with Rabshakeh, 2Ki 18:17.
II. The making of Isaiah a sign, by his unusual dress when he walked abroad. He had been a sign to his own people of the melancholy times that had come and were coming upon them, by the sackcloth which for some time he had worn, of which he had a gown made, which he girt about him. Some think he put himself into that habit of a mourner upon occasion of the captivity of the ten tribes. Others think sackcloth was what he commonly wore as a prophet, to show himself mortified to the world, and that he might learn to endure hardness; soft clothing better becomes those that attend in king's palaces (Mt 11:8) than those that go on God's errands. Elijah wore hair-cloth (2Ki 1:8), and John Baptist (Mt 3:4) and those that pretended to be prophets supported their pretension by wearing rough garments (Zec 13:4); but Isaiah has orders given him to loose his sackcloth from his loins, not to exchange it for better clothing, but for none at all—no upper garment, no mantle, cloak, or coat, but only that which was next to him, we may suppose his shirt, waistcoat, and drawers; and he must put off his shoes, and go barefoot; so that compared with the dress of others, and what he himself usually wore, he might be said to go naked. This was a great hardship upon the prophet; it was a blemish to his reputation, and would expose him to contempt and ridicule; the boys in the streets would hoot at him, and those who sought occasion against him would say, The prophet is indeed a fool, and the spiritual man is mad, Ho 9:7. It might likewise be a prejudice to his health; he was in danger of catching a cold, which might throw him into a fever, and cost him his life; but God bade him do it, that he might give a proof of his obedience to God in a most difficult command, and so shame the disobedience of his people to the most easy and reasonable precepts. When we are in the way of our duty we may trust God both with our credit and with our safety. The hearts of that people were strangely stupid, and would not be affected with what they only heard, but must be taught by signs, and therefore Isaiah must do this for their edification. If the dress was scandalous, yet the design was glorious, and what a prophet of the Lord needed not to be ashamed of.
III. The exposition of this sign, Isa 20:3,4. It was intended to signify that the Egyptians and the Ethiopians should be led away captive by the king of Assyria, thus stripped, or in rags, and very shabby clothing, as Isaiah was. God calls him his servant Isaiah, because in this matter particularly he had approved himself God's willing, faithful, obedient servant; and for this very thing, which perhaps others laughed at him for, God gloried in him. To obey is better than sacrifice; it pleases God and praises him more, and shall be more praised by him. Isaiah is said to have walked naked and barefoot three years, whenever in that time he appeared as a prophet. But some refer the three years, not to the sign, but to the thing signified: He has walked naked and barefoot; there is a stop in the original; provided he did so once that was enough to give occasion to all about him to enquire what was the meaning of his doing so; or, as some think, he did it three days, a day for a year; and this for a three years' sign and wonder, for a sign of that which should be done three years afterwards or which should be three years in the doing. Three campaigns successively shall the Assyrian army make, in spoiling the Egyptians and Ethiopians, and carrying them away captive in this barbarous manner, not only the soldiers taken in the field of battle, but the inhabitants, young and old; and it being a very piteous sight, and such as must needs move compassion in those that had the least degree of tenderness left them to see those who had gone all their days well dressed now stripped, and scarcely having rags to cover their nakedness, that circumstance of their captivity is particularly taken notice of, and foretold, the more to affect those to whom this prophecy was delivered. It is particularly said to be to the shame of Egypt (Isa 20:4), because the Egyptians were a proud people, and therefore when they did fall into disgrace it was the more shameful to them; and the higher they had lifted up themselves the lower was their fall, both in their own eyes and in the eyes of others.
IV. The use and application of this, Isa 20:5,6. 1. All that had any dependence upon, or correspondence with, Egypt and Ethiopia, should now be ashamed of them, and afraid of having any thing to do with them. Those countries that were in danger of being overrun by the Assyrians expected that Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, with his numerous forces, would put a stop to the progress of their victorious arms, and be a barrier to his neighbours; and with yet more assurance they gloried that Egypt, a kingdom so famous for policy and prowess, would do their business, would oblige them to raise the siege of Ashdod and retire with precipitation. But, instead of this, by attempting to oppose the king of Assyria they did but expose themselves and make their country a prey to him. Hereupon all about them were ashamed that ever they promised themselves any advantage from two such weak and cowardly nations, and were more afraid now than ever they were of the growing greatness of the king of Assyria, before whom Egypt and Ethiopia proved but as briers and thorns put to stop a consuming fire, which do but make it burn the more strongly. Note, Those who make any creature their expectation and glory, and so put it in the place of God, will sooner or later be ashamed of it, and their disappointment in it will but increase their fear. See Eze 29:6,7. 2. The Jews in particular should be convinced of their folly in resting upon such broken reeds, and should despair of any relief from them (Isa 20:6): The inhabitants of this isle (the land of Judah, situated upon the sea, though not surrounded by it), of this country (so the margin); every one shall now have his eyes opened, and shall say, "Behold, such is our expectation, so vain, so foolish, and this is that which it will come to. We have fled for help to the Egyptians and Ethiopians, and have hoped by them to be delivered from the king of Assyria; but, now that they are broken thus, how shall we escape, that are not able to bring such armies into the field as they did?" Note, (1.) Those that confide in creatures will be disappointed, and will be made ashamed of their confidence; for vain is the help of man, and in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills or the height and multitude of the mountains. (2.) Disappointment in creature confidences, instead of driving us to despair, as here (how shall we escape?), should drive us to God; for, if we flee to him for help, our expectation shall not be frustrated.
本章预言亚述王要将许多埃及人和古实人掳去。本章内容如下：一、预告此事的兆头，就是先知有一段时日赤脚行走、几乎赤身，如同可怜的俘虏一样，赛20:1,2。二、解释这兆头，并应用于埃及和古实，赛20:3-5。三、神的百姓当借此所学到的功课，就是永不可倚靠血肉之臂，因为如此行它必欺骗他们，赛20:6。