4 so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Ethiopia, young and old, naked and barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
The captivity of Egypt and the removal of Ethiopia. [1] The words "captivity" and "removal" are taken collectively, to denote the multitude of captives and emigrants. Next, he shews that there will be no distinction of age, declaring that the old, as well as the young, shall be led into captivity.
1 - "The Egyptians prisoners (Heb. the captivity of Egypt) and Ethiopians captives." -- Eng. Ver. "The captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush." -- Lowth
So shall the king of Assyria - The emphasis here is on the word "so." As Isaiah has walked naked, that is, stripped off his usual clothing, "so" shall the Egyptians and Ethiopians be led away "stripped" of all their possessions.
The Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives - The Egyptians and Ethiopians, or Cushites, were often united in an alliance, and appear to have been when this prophecy was delivered. Thus Nahum 3:8 :
Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite;
Put and Lubim were thy helpers.
To the shame of Egypt - It shall be a disgrace to them to be subdued, and to be carried captive in so humiliating a manner. It is remarked by Belzoni ('Operations and Recent Discoveries in Egypt and Nubia'), that in the figures on the remains of their temples, prisoners are often represented as naked, or only in aprons, with disheveled hair, and with their hands chained. He also remarks, that on a "bas-relief," on the recently-discovered graves of the kings of Thebes, a multitude of "Egyptian and Ethiopian prisoners" are represented - showing that Egypt and Ethiopia were sometimes "allied," alike in mutual defense and in bondage (compare Isaiah 47:2, and Nahum 3:5).
So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives,.... As beasts are led or driven, being taken prisoners, and carried captive by the king of Assyria, namely Sargon, whoever is intended by him:
young and old; without any regard to age, sparing none for their tender years or gray hairs:
naked and barefoot; as prisoners of war commonly are, being stripped by their conquerors of their clothes, and having only a few rags given them to cover their nakedness with, and obliged to travel without shoes on their feet:
even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt; having no clothes on them to cover those parts; or the skirts of their garments cut off, as David's servants were by the Ammonites, 2-Samuel 10:4 and this to humble and mortify the pride of the Egyptians.
buttocks uncovered--BELZONI says that captives are found represented thus on Egyptian monuments (Isaiah 47:2-3; Nahum 3:5, Nahum 3:8-9), where as here, Egypt and Ethiopia are mentioned as in alliance.
Uncovered - Having their garments cut off by the middle.
*More commentary available at chapter level.