ישעיהו, פרק י״ט, פסוק י״ח

Amidst the collapse of the Egyptian empire, a profound spiritual transformation is destined to unfold, with local populations drawing closer to the God of Israel and embracing His culture. Commentators offer varying perspectives on exactly when this occurs. A central approach links it to the era of King Hezekiah. Following the defeat of the Assyrian king Sennacherib, Hezekiah released the Egyptian and Cushite captives held in the Assyrian camp. Having witnessed God's miraculous interventions, these captives recognized His greatness, accepted the yoke of heaven, and built an altar to God upon returning to their homeland [רש״י, רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. Another perspective places this event later, during the Second Temple period, viewing it as an allusion to the altar constructed by Onias in Alexandria [רש״י, מלבי״ם]. Alternatively, some view this as a vision for the distant future, a time when Israel will hold influence and even settle in these Egyptian cities [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Addressing claims from certain scholars who suggest that Egyptian Jews forged this prophecy to justify their residence in Egypt, it is clarified that this vision was widely known and accepted in the Land of Israel long before such events. It integrates seamlessly with the later prophecies of Jeremiah, making any forgery impossible [שד״ל].

As part of this transformation, five cities in Egypt will begin speaking the language of Canaan. Commentators universally agree that this refers to the Holy Tongue, the Hebrew language. The specific reference to Canaan is understood in a few ways. It may simply be because Hebrew was the native language of the ancient Canaanites [אבן עזרא], or because the newly faithful Egyptians will adopt the exact speech of the Israelites living in the Land of Canaan [רש״י]. Another interpretation suggests a historical reconciliation: since Egypt and Canaan were both descendants of Ham, the Egyptians' return to the faith of Israel—who inherited the Land of Canaan—will lead them to view the Israelites as brothers and adopt their language [רד״ק]. Alongside this linguistic shift, these cities will swear an oath to the Lord of Hosts. This signifies a complete abandonment of their local idols in favor of believing in God and accepting Him as their sole deity [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. Paying close attention to the phrasing, some note that they will not merely swear by God's name, but will swear directly to Him. This indicates the formation of a formal covenant, taking upon themselves an explicit commitment to serve Him [מלבי״ם].

A final, complex detail of this transformation involves one specific city, which is referred to by a name that implies either destruction or the sun. According to one approach, the name is rooted in the concept of demolition. The cities will be so fiercely devoted to their new faith that they will make a mutual pact: if any single city reverts to idolatry, the others will rise up and destroy it [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. Alternatively, since the overall message is positive, this name might not imply intentional ruin by its peers. Instead, it describes a city that began to be destroyed by an enemy but was ultimately saved by God, earning a name that commemorates its ruin and subsequent rebuilding [שד״ל]. A second major approach, rooted in early translations and the sages, links the name to the sun. In this view, the prophecy points to an actual location—the City of the Sun, or Heliopolis—which served as the central seat of the Egyptian priesthood. The promise is that even this epicenter of idolatry will eventually submit to the service of God [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Although the literal spelling of the word aligns more closely with destruction [מנחת שי, אבן עזרא], the interpretive tradition beautifully merges both meanings: it is the City of the Sun that will ultimately face destruction, mirroring Jeremiah's later prophecy concerning the shattering of the idolatrous monuments in Egypt's House of the Sun [רש״י].