ישעיהו, פרק מ״ג, פסוק י״ז

God is the ultimate director of history, sometimes orchestrating the movement of massive, powerful armies for the sole purpose of bringing about their sudden and total defeat. He is the one who drives these enemy forces to war, drawing out vast ranks filled with brave and mighty warriors [מצודת דוד, שד״ל, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מצודת ציון].

The primary approach among commentators is that this points to the splitting of the Red Sea. In this event, God planted the desire in the hearts of the Egyptians to pursue the Israelites, leading them directly into the sea where they drowned at the exact moment the nation was saved [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד, שד״ל]. Others, however, see this as a reflection of the miracle during the days of King Hezekiah against the Assyrian army of Sennacherib, which was drawn to Jerusalem only to be completely struck down [רד״ק]. A third perspective suggests the focus is on the Chaldeans, a heavy and powerful land army that marched to war against the Persians [אבן עזרא].

Regardless of the specific historical backdrop, the outcome for these immense forces is identical. Despite their great strength, they fall together and never rise again. For the Egyptian army, this meant a sudden drowning in the crashing waters of the sea [מצודת דוד, שד״ל]. For the Assyrian forces, it describes how the soldiers simply went to sleep at night and died in their beds, becoming lifeless corpses before the morning could dawn [רד״ק].

The rapid demise of these warriors is compared to a burning wick made of flax that is snuffed out quickly and without delay [רש״י, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This rapid extinguishing carries a deeper visual meaning [רד״ק, אבן עזרא]. Some explain it as a sudden leap, much like a quick fire of thorns that jumps right before it dies out, mirroring how the souls of the soldiers departed from them in a sudden instant [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון]. Another view notes that a dying flame often flares up and grows stronger for a brief, fleeting moment right before it is completely extinguished, just as these armies reached a brief peak of power right before their absolute end [שד״ל].