Isaiah 20:1
1 In the year [shaneh] that Tartan
[Tartan] came [bow'] unto Ashdod ['Ashdowd],
(when Sargon [Cargown] the king [melek] of Assyria ['Ashshuwr] sent
[shalach] him,) and fought [lacham] against Ashdod ['Ashdowd],
and took [lakad] it; KJV-Interlinear
1 In the year that the commander
came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him and he fought against
Ashdod and captured it, NASB
The futility of man
placing his hopes and confidence, in the plans of man, is portrayed in this
short chapter.
Isaiah will warn of the
futility of joining the alliance between Ashdod and Egypt, against Assyria.
In the year, is a
reference to the time about 711 B.C.
One of the generals of
Sennacherib, named Tartan, 2 Kg. 18:17, also known by several names, one of
which was Sargon, was sent to take the city of Ashdod.
Ashdod was a Philistine
city along the coast of the Mediterranean, within the territory of Judah, but
never captured by Judah.
Ashdod had a treaty with
Egypt and Ethiopia, for protection against Assyria. Ethiopia was also known as Cush.
When Assyria attacked
Ashdod, Egypt reneged and did not come to the aid of Ashdod.
At the time, the issue was
between Assyria, the Philistines, and Egypt.
Isaiah is herein going
to warn Judah against getting into the treaty between Ashdod and Egypt, against
Assyria, for it would go badly against them.
Ashdod is one of the
oldest of the ancient cities, Josh. 15:47, and is one of the strongest and most
fortified cities in that region. Ashdod
means strength. However, it fell rather
quickly to the Assyrians.
So now the alarm is up
and Isaiah is being called by God, to give the warning.
