During times of national crisis, the natural human instinct is to seek safety in the arms of powerful political and military allies. Yet, this reliance often proves to be a dangerous illusion, exposing a harsh contrast between loud boasting and total inaction.
The promises of Egyptian support are completely hollow. The primary approach among commentators is that this assistance is entirely devoid of substance, acting as an empty shell with nothing inside [מלבי״ם, מצודת ציון]. Beyond their objective inability to provide actual salvation, the Egyptians have no genuine desire to help. Their grand promises are deceptive, masking a deep-seated malice and hidden hostility toward the Israelites [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].
The prophetic message then evaluates the true nature of this alliance, presenting a complex picture that commentators interpret in three distinct ways. The majority view maintains the focus on mocking Egypt [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. In this light, the Egyptians are characterized by extreme arrogance and loud boasting, yet their actions amount to complete idleness. They loudly promise massive military support, but in reality, they are an idle nation that sits at home and refuses to lift a single finger to assist [רש״י, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. Because of this, their false pride deserves to be entirely dismantled [רש״י], and the Israelites are urged to completely sever ties with such a useless ally [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. A related perspective suggests this critique is actually aimed at Samaria, a nation that similarly boasts of its strength but sits idle, preferring to send others to fight its battles [אברבנאל].
Conversely, a completely different approach suggests the prophet is speaking about the city of Jerusalem. In this view, the concepts of pride and idleness are transformed into positive attributes of strength and tranquility. The true power of the nation does not come from frantic diplomacy, but rather from sitting safely and quietly within Jerusalem, entirely free from the need to travel to Egypt to beg for foreign intervention [רד״ק, אבן עזרא].
A third, unique perspective rejects both previous views, arguing that the mockery is directed neither at Egypt nor at Jerusalem's quiet strength, but rather at the people of Judah who foolishly place their trust in foreign powers. Here, the focus is on the very act of sending diplomatic delegations, targeting the people of Judah themselves. The prophet employs an ancient proverb to describe a state of intense urgency and frantic pleading that ultimately results in idle nothingness. He warns the people that all their desperate, fast-paced efforts to secure a treaty with Egypt are completely futile. Their actions are compared to exhausting, feverish labor that produces absolutely no results [שד״ל].