In these few verses we raise a primary issue in reading Hebrew literature. If, as is the Western habit of mind, we take this narrative in its most literal meaning, we are faced with an apparent inconsistency. Would the Lord have commanded Isaiah to walk about completely nude for three years? Scholars debate this at great extent, often on completely false grounds, ignoring the symbolic nature of Hebrew prophetic literature.
First, the historical setting. Sargon, Emperor of Assyria, faced a revolt from the Philistines at Ashdod. He sent his chief commander, whose title is Tartanu in Assyrian, at the head of a punitive expedition. This would be approximately 711 BC. The regent of the Philistines was deposed, and the city was destroyed. This puts the prophecy of Isaiah some forty years prior to the event he describes.
It was during this siege of Ashdod the Spirit of the Lord commanded Isaiah to remove his sandals and outer garment. At this time Isaiah was wearing sackcloth, but the command did not necessarily mean going completely nude. Jews did wear an undergarment, which we might call a loincloth. This act was symbolic, not sympathetic. Nor is it necessary to assume he spent every day of all three years running around in his underwear. He did so during the exercise of his prophetic office, which surely included other things than recorded in this text. The symbolic act was purely contextual, and was understood as a symbolic prophetic act by the people who knew Isaiah.
Given the nature of things in ancient times, the siege of Ashdod could have easily taken the better part of three years. This is particularly so if we include the several months when the Assyrian army was some distance away. If not by messengers dispatched by the Assyrians, then just about anyone with an interest in Philistia who happened to be in the region of the Assyrian capital, or anywhere along the path of march from whence this particular force came, could have easily brought word well in advance of the assault. The bulk of the troops were marching in battle formation, carrying some portion of their necessary supplies, or gathering them from tributary states on the way. Once on the field at the city of Ashdod, there would be official notice read outloud to the Philistine officials, and so forth. This was hardly a lightening raid moving troops by air or even by wheeled vehicles.
Thus, in the context of this passage, it would seem Isaiah carried out this symbolic act of "nakedness" pretty much for as long as it took for the Assyrian troops to come, do their work, then go. Three years, or enough of it to say "three years," sounds about right. At the end of it all, Isaiah would then announce the meaning of his symbolic act, speaking of himself in the third person. This was also quite common in that day and culture.
While we might today have some Victorian notions about shameful exposure of flesh, we cannot assume our attitude would be the same as Hebrews or Egyptians in 700 BC. We are deeply infected with an underlying Grecian assumption the human form is somehow beautiful, especially if someone's physical condition approaches the rational ideal for such beauty. This concept was wholly lacking in the East. So while our Victorian heritage tries to cover it up in some sort of shame, it's a facade; we still have the urge to peek at nude figures with an eye for sexual arousal. The Eastern reflex would be quite different. They would turn away in genuine embarrassment.
The whole point is a warning against the pro-Egypt party in Jewish leadership during Isaiah's day. Philistia supposedly had an alliance with Egypt/Ethiopia at the time. It did them no good at all. They were left standing naked before the Assyrian onslaught. So it was with those in Jerusalem so very certain they had an iron-clad deal with their former slave masters on the Nile. Trusting them would leave Judah exposed. As it was, here we see a rather literal warning the Egyptians themselves would be led away stripped of clothing. This would be utterly humiliating, but was just the sort of terrorizing thing Assyria was known for, having a good grasp of other cultures. Whatever would be the worst thing they could do to a humbled foe, that they would do, to insure everyone knew beyond all doubt Assyria was to be feared.
Thus, Isaiah warns those who trust in Egypt/Ethiopia will be ashamed they had dared to think it would make any difference. They will pace to and for, wringing their hands, as it were, fearful of the same being done to themselves. There was no earthly ally upon which they could rely, no place to run and hide away from Assyria.
Of course, this was in contrast to Isaiah's stern warning to trust in the God who could easily defeat Assyria's best troops. "How shall we escape? Turn to Jehovah!"
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By Ed Hurst
09 October 2008
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