Facing a severe political and security crisis from the looming threat of the Assyrian army, the national leadership makes a fateful choice. Instead of relying on God for protection, they turn to Egypt for help. This decision triggers a harsh rebuke against a leadership operating in complete disconnect from God's will. There are different views on exactly who is being addressed. The warning might be directed at the Kingdom of Judah during the reigns of Ahaz or Hezekiah [רד״ק], or it could be aimed at the Kingdom of Israel in Samaria during the time of Hoshea the son of Elah [אברבנאל].
The message expresses deep pain and a profound sense of betrayal. Even though the people are called children of God, they behave like a stubborn, rebellious cow that repeatedly wanders off the straight path, abandoning their Father in Heaven precisely when trouble strikes [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת ציון]. Their primary failure lies in forming strategies without God's permission [אבן עזרא, שד״ל]. The problem is not the natural human instinct to plan for survival. Rather, the fault lies in carrying out a flawed, purely human strategy without consulting God through His prophets [אברבנאל, רד״ק].
The execution of this plan is understood in several ways. It can be seen as an act of hiding, as the leaders crafted their strategies in secret to take cover under Egypt's protection [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. Others understand it as a decision to crown a foreign ruler, willingly submitting to Pharaoh's authority [רש״י, מלבי״ם]. Another approach views the process like pouring molten metal into a mold, serving as a metaphor for creating rigid human plans that completely ignore God's desires [שד״ל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Ultimately, all these actions are carried out without God's agreement and without the guidance of prophecy [אבן עזרא, מצודת ציון].
By choosing this independent route, the leaders are simply adding a new sin on top of their past wrongdoings [מצודת ציון, שד״ל]. Reaching out to Egypt is far more than a simple political miscalculation. It is an act of open rebellion, much like a servant who rejects his rightful master to serve someone else [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. Furthermore, it is a direct violation of the Torah's strict command to never return to Egypt [אברבנאל, מלבי״ם].