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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)
繁體中文
對埃及的威嚇（主前713年）
¹ 亞述王撒珥根打發他珥探到亞實突的那年，他珥探就到了亞實突，攻打亞實突，將城攻取。
² 那時，耶和華曉諭亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞說：你去解掉你腰間的麻布，脫下你腳上的鞋。以賽亞就這樣做，露身赤腳行走。
³ 耶和華說：我僕人以賽亞怎樣露身赤腳行走三年，作為關乎埃及和古實的預兆奇蹟；
⁴ 照樣，亞述王也必帶走埃及的擄物和古實的被掠之民，無論老少，都露身赤腳，現出下體，使埃及蒙羞。
⁵ 他們必因他們所仰望的古實、所誇耀的埃及，驚惶羞愧。
⁶ 那時，這沿海一帶的居民必說：看哪，我們素來所仰望的，為了脫離亞述王逃奔求救的，不過如此；我們怎能逃脫呢？
神在這裡作為列國的王，把一場大災禍降在埃及和古實身上，卻作為聖徒的王，從其中為祂的百姓引出益處。請注意：
I. 這預言的日期。那是非利士人的堅固城亞實突（但有人認為是希西家擊打非利士人直到迦薩時，最近才從他們手中收復的，2Ki 18:8）被亞述軍隊圍攻攻取的那一年。不能確定那是希西家第幾年，但那事件如此重大，當時的人可以憑這記號把時間準確定到某一年。此時作亞述王的被稱為撒珥根，有人認為就是西拿基立；另有人認為他是西拿基立的直接前任，繼承了撒縵以色。他珥探是這次出征的元帥或總司令，是西拿基立的臣子之一，與拉伯沙基一同被差去向希西家挑戰，2Ki 18:17。
II. 以賽亞因出門時不尋常的衣著而成為預兆。他因一段時間以來所穿的麻布，已是他百姓的一個預兆，預示已來到和將要來到的憂患時代——他以麻布作成外袍束在腰間。有人認為他是因十支派被擄而穿上哀悼者的裝束。另有人認為麻布是他作先知平素所穿，以表明自己向世界死、好學會忍受艱難；穿細軟衣服的人更適合在王宮裡伺候（Mt 11:8），奉神差遣的人卻不如此。以利亞穿毛衣（2Ki 1:8），施洗約翰也如此（Mt 3:4），那些自稱先知的人也以穿粗衣來支持其自稱（Zec 13:4）；但以賽亞卻奉命解掉腰間的麻布——不是換上更好的衣服，而是根本不穿上衣，沒有外袍、斗篷或大衣，只有貼身的衣物，想必是他的內衫、馬甲和襯褲；又要脫下鞋，赤腳而行；所以與別人的衣著、也與他自己平素的穿著相比，他可以說是露身而行。這對先知是一大苦難；有損他的名聲，要使他受輕蔑和嘲笑；街上的孩童會嘲弄他，找機會攻擊他的人會說：先知真是愚昧，屬靈的人真是癲狂，Ho 9:7。這也可能損害他的健康；他有感冒的危險，可能引發熱病、喪掉性命；但神吩咐他這樣行，好叫他證明自己在一條最艱難的命令上對神的順服，藉此使百姓在最輕易、最合理的誡命上的不順服蒙羞。當我們在盡本分的路上，可以把自己的名聲和安全都交託給神。那百姓的心極其頑鈍，單憑聽聞不能受感動，必須用兆頭來教導，所以以賽亞必須為他們的教益這樣行。雖然這衣著令人蒙羞，其目的卻是榮耀的，作耶和華先知的，不必為之慚愧。
III. 這兆頭的解釋，Isa 20:3,4。它是要表示埃及人和古實人要被亞述王這樣剝去衣裳、或衣衫襤褸、十分破敗地擄去，正如以賽亞所行的那樣。神稱他為我僕人以賽亞，因為他在這事上特別證明了自己是神甘心、忠心、順服的僕人；正因這件也許別人嘲笑他的事，神卻以他為榮。聽命勝於獻祭；它更討神喜悅、更讚美神，也更要被神稱讚。據說以賽亞露身赤腳行走三年——每當在那期間他以先知身分出現之時。但有人把這三年歸於所表徵的事，而非兆頭本身：他露身赤腳行走；原文在那裡有停頓；他只要作一次，就足以使周圍的人有機會詢問他這樣作的意義；或如有人所想，他作了三天，以一日頂一年，作為三年的預兆奇蹟——預示三年後要成的事，或要費三年才成的事。亞述軍隊要連續出師三次，劫掠埃及人和古實人，以這種野蠻方式把他們擄去，不僅是戰場上被擒的兵丁，連居民，老少都不免。這是極其可悲的景象，凡是還剩一點溫情的人，看見那些一生衣著整齊的人如今被剝光、連遮體的破布也沒有，都不能不動慈心，所以他們被擄的那個情節特別被注意到、被預言出來，為要更深刻地影響那些聽見這預言的人。它特別被稱為使埃及蒙羞（Isa 20:4），因為埃及人是驕傲的百姓，所以當他們落入羞辱之時，就更覺羞恥；他們自抬得越高，無論在他們自己眼中、或在別人眼中，跌得就越慘。
IV. 這事的應用和教訓，Isa 20:5,6。1. 凡是依賴埃及和古實、與他們有交往的，如今都要為他們感到羞愧，並且怕與他們有任何瓜葛。那些有被亞述人蹂躪之虞的國家，指望古實王特哈加率領他眾多的軍隊遏止那得勝之師的進展，作鄰國的屏障；他們更滿懷把握地誇口說，埃及這以謀略和勇武聞名的國，必能為他們效力，迫使敵軍解亞實突之圍、倉皇撤退。然而埃及和古實不但不能如此，反而因企圖抵抗亞述王而暴露了自己、使自己的國成了他的獵物。於是周圍一切人都羞愧，竟指望從兩個這樣懦弱怯懦的國家得到任何好處，並且如今比從前更加懼怕亞述王日益壯大的勢力——在他面前，埃及和古實不過如擋在焚燒之火前的荊棘蒺藜，只使火燒得更旺。當知道，凡以任何受造之物為自己的指望和榮耀、把它放在神的位置上的，遲早要為之蒙羞；在它上面的失望只會加增自己的恐懼。見 Eze 29:6,7。2. 猶太人特別要因倚靠這樣的折斷蘆葦而被看出愚妄，並對從他們得任何解救絕望（Isa 20:6）：這沿海的居民（這是指猶大地，瀕海雖不為海所環繞；或作「這地的居民」，見邊欄），各人如今都要眼睛得開，說：看哪，我們的指望不過如此——如此虛空、如此愚妄，而它的結局就是這樣。我們為了脫離亞述王，投奔埃及人和古實人求助、指望靠他們得救；如今他們既這樣傾覆，我們既不能像他們那樣把軍隊開到戰場上，怎能逃脫呢？當知道：（1.）那些倚靠受造之物的，必大失所望，並要因自己的倚靠而蒙羞；因為人的幫助是虛空的，從大小山岡的高低和眾多所盼望的拯救也是枉然。（2.）倚靠受造之物而來的失望，不應如這裡那樣把我們推向絕望（怎能逃脫呢？），倒應把我們推到神面前；因為我們若投奔祂求助，我們的指望就不致落空。
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.
本章預言亞述王將把埃及人和古實人中的許多群眾擄去。這裡有：I. 預告此事的記號，就是先知在一段時日裡赤腳、幾乎赤身行走，如同一個可憐的俘虜，Isa 20:1,2。II. 這記號的解釋，並應驗在埃及和古實身上，Isa 20:3-5。III. 神的百姓當由此學到的有益功課，就是絕不可倚靠血肉的膀臂，因為它必使他們失望，Isa 20:6。