ישעיהו, פרק ל״א, פסוק ב׳

In the face of political maneuvering, people often mistake military alliances and clever strategies for true wisdom. Yet, human attempts to outsmart divine plans ultimately reveal a profound irony about where real power lies. The primary approach among commentators highlights a sharp mockery directed at those who believed they could bypass God's decrees by seeking military help from Egypt. God, however, possesses a wisdom far superior to any human calculation, making Him impossible to oppose. Some explain that this divine wisdom is shown through God's awareness of the people's hidden thoughts, specifically their mistaken belief that He does not intervene in the world to do good or cause harm [אבן עזרא, רד״ק]. Conversely, another perspective emphasizes the stark difference in outcomes. While the people pride themselves on a cleverness they believe will secure their country through alliances, a security that will never materialize, God proves His wisdom by successfully bringing about the exact consequences He decreed [שד״ל].

God stands firmly by His promises and never retracts His decrees. The commentators agree that He does not cancel or forget His warnings, ensuring that the prophecies are fulfilled to demonstrate His active guidance over the world. The exact nature of these fulfilled warnings is understood in several ways. One view frames it as a precise, measure-for-measure consequence based on earlier commandments. Because the people willingly traveled to Egypt to seek help despite clear warnings never to return there, their ultimate fate will be returning to Egypt by force as exiles [רש״י]. Another approach contrasts the fates of different groups, suggesting that God will maintain His promise of salvation for King Hezekiah, while simultaneously bringing destruction upon the Ten Tribes through the Assyrian king, Sennacherib [חומת אנך]. Additionally, a traditional interpretation connects the concept of God's spoken warnings to a physical plague, hinting at the specific type of disaster that will strike the people [מנחת שי].

Ultimately, God takes decisive action against both the wrongdoers and those who offer them aid. The commentators unanimously identify the primary wrongdoers as the people of Israel, or specifically the Ten Tribes, while their helpers are the Egyptians who arrived to provide military support. God will strike down both the sinners who attempted to disrupt His plans and the foreign allies who tried to assist them, guaranteeing that His will is carried out entirely and without interference [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד].