ישעיהו, פרק י״ט, פסוק י״א

The prophet delivers a sharp mockery of the Egyptian leadership, exposing the vast gap between their arrogant claims of knowing the future and their complete failure to understand God's plans. When faced with impending destruction, the nation's most celebrated minds are entirely unable to save the kingdom from ruin.

The criticism is directed at two central pillars of the state's leadership: the political leaders of the capital city of Zoan, and Pharaoh's spiritual advisors, which include his religious figures and sorcerers [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. True wisdom has completely abandoned these leaders, leaving behind nothing but foolishness. As a result, the guidance they offer the king is entirely illogical and ignorant [מצודת ציון, אבן עזרא]. Some perspectives even suggest that the ignorance points directly to the advisors themselves, marking the men as inherently foolish rather than just their advice [שד״ל].

In light of this massive failure, the prophet questions their audacity. Having brought disaster upon the kingdom, he wonders how they can possibly continue to boast in the royal court. The primary approach among commentators is that each counselor would praise himself before Pharaoh, declaring himself a descendant of wise men and of ancient eastern kings renowned for their sorcery [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא]. They framed their claims as a family inheritance rather than directly calling themselves wise. This offered a false sense of humility, making them sound less arrogant while firmly cementing their elite status as an undeniable fact [חומת אנך]. This aligns with the historical reality that Egyptian wise men formed a closed, hereditary class, much like the priests in Israel [שד״ל].

However, other interpretations suggest a different dynamic in the royal court. Some explain that the counselors would divide the praise, telling Pharaoh that while they were the sons of wise men, he was the son of ancient kings [רש״י, שד״ל, רד״ק]. Alternatively, the counselors may have taught Pharaoh to claim both titles for himself, reinforcing his image not merely as a monarch, but as a god of wisdom [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another perspective shifts the focus entirely, suggesting the prophet is not describing a conversation between the advisors and Pharaoh, but rather a conversation about him. In this view, the prophet challenges the counselors directly: how can they possibly maintain that Pharaoh is wise and of noble descent when, in the moment of truth, neither his wisdom nor theirs can do anything to save the kingdom? [רד״ק].