1 The supreme commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, fought against Ashdod and captured it.2 At that time Jehovah spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz. He said to him: »Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.« He did this and went around stripped and barefoot.3 Jehovah said: »Just as my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years, as a sign and portent against Egypt and Cush,4 so the king of Assyria will lead away stripped and barefoot the Egyptian captives and Cushite exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared to Egypt’s shame.5 »Those who trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt will be afraid and put to shame.6 »That day the people who live on this coast will say: ‘See what has happened to those we relied on, those we fled to for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?« ’