The Meaning of Isaiah 20:5 Explained

Isaiah 20:5

KJV: And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.

YLT: and they have been affrighted and ashamed of Cush their confidence, and of Egypt their beauty,

Darby: And they shall be terrified and ashamed of Ethiopia their confidence, and of Egypt their boast.

ASV: And they shall be dismayed and confounded, because of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they shall be afraid  and ashamed  of Ethiopia  their expectation,  and of Egypt  their glory. 

What does Isaiah 20:5 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 20

1  A type prefiguring the shameful captivity of Egypt and Ethiopia

What do the individual words in Isaiah 20:5 mean?

And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation and Egypt their glory
וְחַתּ֖וּ וָבֹ֑שׁוּ מִכּוּשׁ֙ מַבָּטָ֔ם וּמִן־ מִצְרַ֖יִם תִּפְאַרְתָּֽם

וְחַתּ֖וּ  And  they  shall  be  afraid 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָתַת  
Sense: to be shattered, be dismayed, be broken, be abolished, be afraid.
וָבֹ֑שׁוּ  and  ashamed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
מִכּוּשׁ֙  of  Ethiopia 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: כּוּשׁ 
Sense: a Benjamite mentioned only in the title of Ps 7.
מַבָּטָ֔ם  their  expectation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מַבָּט  
Sense: expectation, object of hope or confidence.
מִצְרַ֖יִם  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
תִּפְאַרְתָּֽם  their  glory 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: תִּפְאֶרֶת  
Sense: beauty, splendour, glory.