Matthew Henry Commentary Isaiah 20:1-6

"In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it; at that time Jehovah spake by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go, and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put thy shoe from off thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot. And Jehovah said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia; so shall the king of Assyria lead away the captives of Egypt, and the exiles of Ethiopia, young and old, naked and barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. And they shall be dismayed and confounded, because of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory. And the inhabitant of this coast-land shall say in that day, Behold, such is our expectation, whither we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria: and we, how shall we escape?" — Isaiah 20:1-6 (ASV)

The invasion and conquest of Egypt and Ethiopia.

Isaiah was a sign to the people by his unusual dress when he walked about. He commonly wore sackcloth as a prophet, to show himself mortified to the world. He was to remove this from his waist; to wear no upper garments and go barefoot. This sign was to signify that the Egyptians and Ethiopians would be led away as captives by the king of Assyria, stripped in this way.

The world will often consider believers foolish when they are distinctive in their obedience to God. But the Lord will support his servants under the most trying effects of their obedience; and what they are called to suffer for his sake, is commonly light compared with what many groan under year after year because of sin. Those who make any creature their expectation and glory, and so put it in God's place, will sooner or later be ashamed of it.

But disappointment in creature-confidences, instead of driving us to despair, should drive us to God, and our expectation will not be in vain. The same lesson still applies now; and where should we look for help in the time of need, but to the Lord our Righteousness?