ישעיהו, פרק ל׳, פסוק י׳

A nation in denial often demands pleasant illusions from its spiritual leaders rather than facing painful truths. The true prophets of God, who act as public voices of conscience, face intense pressure to soften their message. When examining these spiritual leaders, commentators explore their specific roles. [מלבי״ם] suggests a distinction based on how they perceive and address the world: some observe reality through a rational lens, focusing their rebuke on how people treat one another, while others experience abstract divine visions and address the relationship between the people and God. Alternatively, [אבן עזרא] offers a simpler view, noting that these leaders are all essentially named for their ability to receive messages through divine visions.

Instead of accepting honest guidance, the public demands that their leaders stop speaking straight, truthful words of rebuke [רד״ק, מצודת ציון, שטיינזלץ], or messages directed honestly toward God [מלבי״ם]. They want to hear soft, flattering words. The people seek out popular messages that are pleasing to the ear, much like the comforting lies of false prophets who promise peace and allow everyone to continue their behavior without any interference [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד, שטיינזלץ].

This desire for comfort reaches a point where the people seemingly ask for empty, entertaining visions and words of mockery [מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם, שד״ל, שטיינזלץ]. This raises a clear question: would a nation explicitly ask to be lied to and mocked? The primary approach among commentators is that the people did not actually ask for deception; they simply demanded prophecies of peace and prosperity. It is the prophet Isaiah who labels these requested messages as mockery, exposing the absurdity of their demands and highlighting that the public does not realize they are asking for lies [רד״ק, מצודת דוד].

Expanding on this idea, [שד״ל] explains that the situation described is not a literal conversation. Because the public despised correction, a silent reality emerged. Leaders who wanted to remain popular understood on their own that they needed to offer flattery and falsehoods. The prophet describes this toxic cultural mood as if the people had explicitly demanded it.