They sought safety through alliances, but they discovered only God’s power secures true deliverance.
“It will come about in that day that the inhabitants of this coastland will say, ‘Behold, such is our hope, where we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria; and we, how shall we escape?’” (Isaiah 20:6). This passage pictures a time when those who trusted in foreign alliances suddenly realize that the power they relied upon is helpless to protect them. The phrase “the inhabitants of this coastland” refers to people living along the coastal regions of Philistia or possibly other territories west of Judah, near the Mediterranean Sea. Historically, this took place near the end of the 8th century BC, when the dreaded might of the Assyrian Empire reached across the Near East, causing many smaller nations to seek military or political assistance and leading them to a crisis of confidence when such help proved inadequate.
By describing the coastland’s inhabitants crying out, “Behold, such is our hope,” the text underscores the profound disappointment felt once the alliance they placed their faith in collapses under Assyrian aggression. The “king of Assyria” (likely Sargon II or Sennacherib, who reigned between 722 and 681 BC) posed a formidable threat. The verse invites a contrast between reliance on human scheming, which fails, and reliance on the Lord, who alone can provide real deliverance. In the broader context of Isaiah 20, the prophet Isaiah dramatically illustrates how human security—like trusting in the might of Egypt or the strength of Cush—proves futile when weighed against God’s sovereign plans (Isaiah 20:2-5).
When they ask, “And we, how shall we escape?” it reveals their utter vulnerability in the face of judgment. In the events described earlier, both Egypt and Cush are shown to be powerless, leaving the desperate question of who or what can truly save. The implication is that hope can only be found in the Lord, the God of Israel, even when world powers appear so intimidating.
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Isaiah 20:6 meaning
“It will come about in that day that the inhabitants of this coastland will say, ‘Behold, such is our hope, where we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria; and we, how shall we escape?’” (Isaiah 20:6). This passage pictures a time when those who trusted in foreign alliances suddenly realize that the power they relied upon is helpless to protect them. The phrase “the inhabitants of this coastland” refers to people living along the coastal regions of Philistia or possibly other territories west of Judah, near the Mediterranean Sea. Historically, this took place near the end of the 8th century BC, when the dreaded might of the Assyrian Empire reached across the Near East, causing many smaller nations to seek military or political assistance and leading them to a crisis of confidence when such help proved inadequate.
By describing the coastland’s inhabitants crying out, “Behold, such is our hope,” the text underscores the profound disappointment felt once the alliance they placed their faith in collapses under Assyrian aggression. The “king of Assyria” (likely Sargon II or Sennacherib, who reigned between 722 and 681 BC) posed a formidable threat. The verse invites a contrast between reliance on human scheming, which fails, and reliance on the Lord, who alone can provide real deliverance. In the broader context of Isaiah 20, the prophet Isaiah dramatically illustrates how human security—like trusting in the might of Egypt or the strength of Cush—proves futile when weighed against God’s sovereign plans (Isaiah 20:2-5).
When they ask, “And we, how shall we escape?” it reveals their utter vulnerability in the face of judgment. In the events described earlier, both Egypt and Cush are shown to be powerless, leaving the desperate question of who or what can truly save. The implication is that hope can only be found in the Lord, the God of Israel, even when world powers appear so intimidating.