Our brief chapter opens with a historical note: it was spoken in the year that the Tartan, the Assyrian king's second-in-command, was sent to fight against Ashdod. The chapter presents several intriguing elements: God commands Yeshayahu to remove his sackcloth, though the text never told us that he was wearing a sackcloth or why he wore it. He is also commanded to walk barefoot and unclothed as a sign of a forthcoming prophecy. Later, we hear a prophecy about Kush and Egypt: “Just so will it be when the king of Assyria leads away the captives of Egypt, the exiles of Kush” (20:4). It is unclear what the connection is between Egypt and Kush and the Assyrian campaign against the Philistine city of Ashdod.

Prof. Yehuda Elitzur, in his article here, provides the historical and realistic context: Assyrian documents reveal extensive correspondence between Ashdod, Yehuda, and Egypt regarding attempts to forge alliances to unite against Assyria. These efforts underwent many upheavals over the years. On one occasion, the king of Ashdod rebelled against Assyria, and the Assyrian king responded by reconquering the city. Yehuda under Chizkiyahu, as a strong state leading the anti-Assyrian states, became alert: when the Assyrian king set out, no one could predict whom he intended to attack. It was likely he would also try to conquer and suppress Yehuda. As a response, Yeshayahu puts on sackcloth — not as a sign of mourning but as a sign of supplication, praying to avert the decree and pleading that the Assyrian king would not attack Yehuda. The prayer was answered, and the Assyrian king settled for Ashdod and returned to his land.

At this point, Yeshayahu removes his sackcloth. Everyone assumes this is an act of joy — his prayer was answered, and he removes his sackcloth. But God commands him: Remove your sackcloth and... (while the reader expects him to put on regular clothes again) instead, go barefoot and naked! This marks a turning point. God declares: While Assyria has not come against Yehuda now, the final word has not yet been spoken. The alliances being formed among the regional states will ultimately fail. The king of Assyria will conquer and overthrow even Egypt and Kush. Yeshayahu continues this way for three years, years of political drama and shifting alliances. Envoys from neighboring states constantly arrive in Yehuda with various strategies and proposals for alliances. Throughout this time, Yeshayahu walks barefoot and unclothed, telling them: Abandon these alliances; they are futile. “Full of dread and shame for Kush, their hope; for Egypt, their glory” (20:5). It seems this message is directed in the chapter not only to Yehuda but also to all the regional states: “The ruler of this shore will be saying on that day, ‘Look where our hope is now: the place we would flee to for aid, to be saved from the king of Assyria; now how will we escape?’” (20:6).

Notably, in terms of the chapter sequence, the previous chapter had already mentioned the anticipated unity of Assyria, Egypt, and Israel in serving God. Now we hear of Egypt’s downfall at the hands of Assyria. In this sense, our chapter does not form a continuous progression from the previous chapter’s conclusion. Perhaps this chapter exemplifies one of the stages described in the previous chapter, “and Egypt with Assyria will worship [the Lord]” (19:23).