complete verse (Isaiah 20:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 20:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “The Philistines who were relying on the people of Cush and the people of Egypt will be astounded.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Those who put confidence in the land of Cush and those who were proud of the land of Egypt will be afraid and fall into shame.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The (ones)-who-trust in Etiopia and boast in Egipto will-be-troubled and put-to-shame.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then the people of other countries who trusted that the armies of Egypt and Ethiopia would be able to help them will be very dismayed/confused and afraid/disappointed.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Isaiah 20:5

Verses 5-6 bring out the deeper meaning of this section: it is a warning to the people of Judah not to join any regional rebellion against Assyria. They will be disappointed if they depend on Egypt and Cush since Assyria will defeat those two countries.

There are two possibilities for the referent of the pronouns they and their in this verse. Several versions believe these pronouns refer to the prisoners described in verse 4; for example, Contemporary English Version renders verses 4-5 as follows: “4 Everyone in these two countries will be led away … and Egypt will be disgraced. 5 They will be confused and frustrated….” However, it is more likely that these pronouns anticipate the subject of verse 6, namely, “the inhabitants of this coastland.” This phrase refers to Philistia and the western parts of Judah (see the comments on Isa 20.6). The Philistines encouraged Judah to join them against Assyria.

Then they shall be dismayed and confounded describes those who trusted Egypt and Cush for help. The Hebrew verb rendered dismayed can refer to discouragement (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation) or fear (so New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible) in this context. The Hebrew verb translated confounded can refer to hopelessness (so Good News Translation) or shame (so New International Version) here. The two verbs are used together for emphasis. If there are ideophones in a language, translators could use one here.

Because of Ethiopia their hope and of Egypt their boast: They will be discouraged because the countries they depended on will be defeated. Their hope in these countries will prove to be a false hope. Ethiopia their hope means “Ethiopia in whom they had placed their hope.” Likewise, the sense of Egypt their boast (literally “Egypt their glory”) is “Egypt in whom they had boasted.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• Then those who place their hope in Ethiopia and boast of Egypt’s help will be utterly disillusioned.

• Any who expect anything from Cush or who boast about Egypt’s help will be shocked and put to shame.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .