ישעיהו, פרק נ״ז, פסוק ט׳

The prophet shifts his focus from condemning foreign worship to delivering a harsh critique of the nation's foreign policy. Instead of placing their trust in God, the people rely on mortals, investing massive efforts to win the favor of foreign empires like Assyria and Egypt. This desperate search for political alliances is portrayed through the piercing image of an unfaithful woman actively seeking out new lovers.

To secure these alliances, the nation approaches foreign leaders. Commentators offer different views on how this approach is made. Some describe the bringing of tributes and gifts [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ, רד״ק בשם רס״ג], others picture caravans traveling great distances to greet these rulers [רד״ק, שד״ל], and some suggest looking out toward them from afar [אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם, רש״י]. The target of these efforts is usually understood as the king of Assyria, the Pharaoh of Egypt, or foreign monarchs in general, with a possible hint at idolatry [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, שד״ל].

The people offer bribes of high-quality oil, a famous export of the Land of Israel [רד״ק, אבן עזרא]. Within the metaphor, this represents a promiscuous woman who anoints herself with myrrh and an abundance of spices to seduce powerful men [מלבי״ם]. She uses every available perfume to increase her charm and make herself irresistible [מצודת ציון, שד״ל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Taking aggressive initiative, the nation sends diplomatic envoys to distant lands to request military assistance or deliver presents [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא]. In the context of the metaphor, the woman sends her agents far and wide to secure new lovers or to boast of her beauty in foreign palaces [שד״ל, מלבי״ם].

The primary approach among commentators is that this desperate pursuit of foreign allies yielded no benefit. Instead, it caused deep self-humiliation, stripped the nation of its dignity, and dragged them down to the grave [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אבן עזרא, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Other perspectives view this descent differently. It can be seen as a display of sheer audacity, showing a people willing to search the very depths of the earth for lovers [שד״ל], or as a sign of total moral decay, where the nation cheapened itself by submitting even to minor, insignificant kings [מלבי״ם].

Presenting a completely different atmosphere, [רש״י] reads these events not as a description of sin, but as a nostalgic reminder of the nation's past glory. According to this view, God reminds the Israelites of a time when they honored their King, God Himself, with delights. In those days of greatness, they sent envoys to collect taxes from other nations and brought the mighty foreign powers down to the grave.