Isaiah Chapter 20
Isaiah's three-year sign warns Judah against trusting Egypt and Ethiopia.
Set during Assyria's capture of Ashdod, the events of this chapter follow directly on the burden of Egypt in Isaiah 19, as the Lord commands Isaiah to walk naked and barefoot as a living sign.
In the yeer wherynne Tharthan entride in to Azotus, whanne Sargon, the kyng of Assiriens, hadde sent hym, and he hadde fouyte ayens Azotus, and hadde take it;
in that tyme the Lord spak in the hond of Isaye, the sone of Amos, and seide, Go thou, and vnbynde the sak fro thi leendis, and take awei thi schoon fro thi feet. And he dide so, goynge nakid and vnschood.
And the Lord seide, As my seruaunt Ysaie yede nakid and vnschood, a signe and greet wondur of thre yeer schal be on Egipt, and on Ethiopie;
so the kyng of Assiriens schal dryue the caitifte of Egipt, and the passyng ouer of Ethiopie, a yong man and an eld man, nakid and vnschood, with the buttokis vnhilid, to the schenschipe of Egipt.
And thei schulen drede, and schulen be schent of Ethiopie, her hope, and of Egipt, her glorie.
And a dwellere of this ile schal seie in that dai, This was our hope, to which we fledden for help, that thei schulden delyuere vs fro the face of the kyng of Assiryens; and hou moun we ascape?