Introduction: The Burden of Egypt
Chapter 19 of Yeshayahu is a prophecy that the prophet delivers against Egypt - "The burden of Egypt." In it, the prophet depicts the downfall of Egypt's idols, the internal strife that will devour it from within, the drying up of the Nile, and the loss of the land's five primary sources of livelihood. Finally, he turns to Pharaoh's wise men and counselors for failing to foresee the decree. We will examine the verses in sequence, based on the commentary of the Malbim.
Verse 1: Behold, Hashem Rides on a Swift Cloud
מַשָּׂא מִצְרָיִם הִנֵּה יְהֹוָה רֹכֵב עַל־עָב קַל וּבָא מִצְרַיִם וְנָעוּ אֱלִילֵי מִצְרַיִם מִפָּנָיו וּלְבַב מִצְרַיִם יִמַּס בְּקִרְבּוֹ׃ - The burden of Egypt: Behold, Hashem rides on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; the idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the heart of Egypt will melt within it.
Rashi asks why an explicit threat against idols appears specifically regarding Egypt, something not phrased this way regarding other nations. His answer: because they are accustomed to being stricken in this manner. This is the whip they have already tasted, as it says, "And I will pass through the land of Egypt... and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments." It is the way of the world, Rashi notes, to frighten a person with a blow he has already suffered. How do you instill fear in someone? You remind him: Do you remember what happened to you? Be careful that it does not happen again. So too here: you, Egypt, have already seen judgments executed against all the gods of Egypt; know that this is about to repeat itself.
The Malbim explains that the prophet describes it as though he sees Hashem riding on a swift cloud: a cloud that moves lightly and swiftly, and so, as it were, Hashem will come swiftly and with ease. "The idols of Egypt will tremble [ve-na'u] before Him" - na'u denotes terror and trembling, as in "and the people saw and trembled [vayanu'u], and stood afar off," out of sheer awe and dread.
And why is this connected specifically to the idols of Egypt? The Malbim explains: In ancient times, the Egyptians worshipped the Nile and believed it was a god, alongside their other deities - the ram, the lamb, other beasts, and Pharaoh himself, who was also considered a god. They deified the Nile because they believed it was the source of life: from it came drinking water, irrigation, and everything else; consequently, they attributed divine power to it, meaning a supreme force that pours forth abundance. Furthermore, in their foolish delusions, they believed their idols prevented rain from falling on their land. Rain in Egypt was disastrous for them, as the Malbim puts it, since their houses were built of earth and mud brick, and when rain falls, they simply melt away. Egypt has no natural rainfall, which is why they constructed their homes in this manner; if rain fell once every few years, in their eyes it meant that the god had fallen asleep on guard duty, for the idol was the guardian that kept the rain clouds at bay.
Therefore, the prophet says: Hashem comes upon a swift cloud, meaning a cloud will arrive and rain will fall, and thereby "the idols of Egypt will tremble before Him" - this is the proof that your idols are powerless and struck down. For according to your belief, a powerful idol ought to hold back the cloud and prevent the rain. If Hashem nevertheless arrives with a cloud and rain falls, it proves that the idols of Egypt have trembled and been rendered powerless.
"And the heart of Egypt will melt within it" - because of this, every Egyptian will realize that his idols have been rendered powerless, and his heart will melt within him from intense dread, for the one he relied upon is no longer worthy of trust.
Verse 2: I Will Incite Egypt Against Egypt
וְסִכְסַכְתִּי מִצְרַיִם בְּמִצְרַיִם וְנִלְחֲמוּ אִישׁ־בְּאָחִיו וְאִישׁ בְּרֵעֵהוּ עִיר בְּעִיר מַמְלָכָה בְּמַמְלָכָה׃ - And I will incite Egypt against Egypt, and they will fight every one against his brother and every one against his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.
Here the prophet describes as though he hears the voice of Hashem riding on the swift cloud, hearing His plan for punishing Egypt. Hashem says: I will move through Egypt and embroil them against one another. "And I will incite [ve-sikhsakhti]" - the Malbim explains that this is related to siege (matzor), from the root of sekhakh, covering, and hedge, as in "to hedge about [lasukh ba'ado]." That is to say: I will lay siege to Egypt. And who will besiege it - an outside force? No. The force besieging Egypt will be internal, brother against brother, each man's sword against his fellow.
The Malbim notes that there is a precise progression here: brother against brother, man against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom. The rule is that when a kingdom wages war against another kingdom, all the cities within it unite, and only then can it prevail. If the cities within the kingdom are divided, the kingdom cannot muster strength and force against another kingdom. Likewise, when a city fights against a city, the people of the city must unite with one another - otherwise, how can the city fight? And similarly, when a family fights against a family, the family members must unite with one another, brother with brother; if there is no unity within the family itself, how can it fight another family? The rule is clear: any large entity waging war against another large entity must have complete unity among all the individuals within it.
And this is what the prophet is saying: the discord will begin from the smallest components, to the point where larger units will not even be able to fight one another. A kingdom will not fight a kingdom because within it city is embroiled against city, and a city will not fight a city because within it man is embroiled against brother, and even a family will not be able to fight another family because each person within it is at odds with his fellow. Therefore the verse opens with, "and they shall fight every one against his brother" - even among family members there will be no unity. Do not think there will be a war between major factions within Egypt; rather, it will be a war in which each person's enemy is his neighbor and his brother. Hatred and division will permeate the smallest units of the Egyptian family. After all, when there is internal unity, even one who fights another city feels solidarity within his own city, and one who fights another family feels solidarity within his own family. But here, even deep inside the home there will be strife. This is the meaning of "and I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians," starting all the way down to man against his brother. And as we see in our own times, this prophecy is already beginning to unfold.
Pasuk 3: And the Spirit of Egypt Shall Be Emptied
וְנָבְקָה רוּחַ־מִצְרַיִם בְּקִרְבּוֹ וַעֲצָתוֹ אֲבַלֵּעַ וְדָרְשׁוּ אֶל־הָאֱלִילִים וְאֶל־הָאִטִּים וְאֶל־הָאֹבוֹת וְאֶל־הַיִּדְּעֹנִים׃ - And the spirit of Egypt shall be emptied out in its midst, and I will confuse its counsel; and they shall consult the idols, and the sorcerers, and the necromancers, and the wizards.
Egypt had always possessed a spirit of wisdom and a spirit of valor. They were an exceedingly wise and mighty nation. In ancient times, Egyptian wisdom was far beyond the ordinary standard: magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and great scholars. Even today, no one knows exactly how the pyramids were built or how they embalmed the dead. Egypt was one of the earliest civilizations to develop writing, and the pyramids depict an orderly kingdom with detailed records of everything concerning the king. Egypt was renowned as a wise and sophisticated superpower.
"And the spirit of Egypt shall be emptied out in its midst" - navkah is an expression of emptying, as in "the earth shall be utterly emptied" (hibok tibok ha'aretz). That renowned spirit of wisdom and spirit of valor will be drained from them and depart from them. "And I will confuse its counsel" - both in military strategy and in affairs of state they had astute counsel, with everything organized in exemplary order. Hashem says: I will confound, swallow up, and ruin all of their plans and strategies.
"And they shall consult the idols, and the sorcerers" - when a person has no counsel, no wisdom, and no understanding, he wonders from where his help will come, and they will indeed turn to seek help from nothingness: the idols, vanity, and the void. Since nothing remains within themselves, what else can they seek? The ittim are also a category of idols. The ovot are necromancers, and the yid'onim are those who use the bone of the yido'a creature, placing it under the armpit to uncover hidden things. Thus, they will possess neither wisdom, counsel, nor understanding - neither from within themselves nor through the external forces of idols, sorcerers, and mediums.
Pasuk 4: Into the Hand of Harsh Masters
וְסִכַּרְתִּי אֶת־מִצְרַיִם בְּיַד אֲדֹנִים קָשֶׁה וּמֶלֶךְ עַז יִמְשָׁל־בָּם נְאֻם הָאָדוֹן יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת׃ - And I will deliver Egypt into the hand of harsh masters, and a fierce king shall rule over them, says the Master, Hashem of Hosts.
Up to this point, this is what Yeshayahu hears, as it were, from Hashem, Who rides upon a swift cloud and comes to Egypt: "And I will set the Egyptians against each other," "and the spirit of Egypt shall be emptied out," "and I will deliver Egypt" - says the Master, Hashem of Hosts. And this will be their end: I will deliver them into the hand of harsh and cruel masters.
The Malbim asks: Why does the verse say adonim, "masters" in the plural, rather than "a master"? If a single cruel master rules over them, he cannot personally torment every single individual. He can inflict harm in a general sense, but he is limited - Egypt has millions of inhabitants. Here, however, there will be "harsh masters"; the rulers will be many and cruel. Every city will have its governor and every village its overseer, and when a local village ruler is harsh, he knows everyone personally and makes each of their lives a living misery. Therefore, "into the hand of harsh masters" is far more severe than "a harsh master."
"And a fierce king shall rule over them" - and if one were to say, "This is only a local master; I will simply throw off his yoke," the verse tells us that there will be a fierce, powerful king who rules over these masters and strengthens their hand to exercise broad dominion. Thus, there are harsh local masters from whom no one can escape, and above them is the authority of a mighty king who ensures that these harsh masters perform their work thoroughly.
The Malbim explains the word "ve-sikharti" (spelled with a kaf) as being related to damming or closing off, as in "va-yisakhru mayenot tehom" ("the springs of the deep were stopped up"), meaning to shut something so it does not continue. Sometimes this root appears with a shin (secher) and sometimes with a samech, and we will see this again later in the chapter. Sekher (damming) is close in meaning to seger (closing), as the letters kaf and gimmel interchange, and essentially they share the same idea: to close or dam up something. One who dams up a river places a barrier and closes off its waters so they do not flow out. Thus, "ve-sikharti et Mitzrayim be-yad adonim kasheh" means: I will surrender them into the hands of harsh masters.
The Malbim further explains the difference between "kasheh" (harsh) and "az" (fierce and mighty): Az relates to might, power, courage, vigor, and strength. Kasheh, by contrast, is associated with heaviness, like hard labor (avodah kashah), or a hard, cruel heart. Therefore, the masters will be kashim - cruel, assigning backbreaking labor and intensifying the burden - while the king will be az - forceful, possessing power, boldness, and strength, holding sway over these harsh masters. This indicates extreme cruelty in their conduct toward their own people. We have also witnessed this in recent times, seeing how the regime there kills its own citizens and fights with factions within the government; and they are still only at the beginning of the story, as their saga is far from over, and the words of prophecy here still lie before us.
Pasuk 5: "And the Waters Shall Fail from the Sea"
וְנִשְּׁתוּ־מַיִם מֵהַיָּם וְנָהָר יֶחֱרַב וְיָבֵשׁ׃ - And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be drained dry and parched.
From here onward, the prophet describes how, by losing their sovereignty and becoming tributaries under a foreign regime, they will also lose their livelihood and sustenance. He enumerates five aspects. The first is the source of Egypt's abundance - the Nile. The Nile would rise and irrigate their land, and they possessed highly sophisticated systems of canals and aqueducts to channel the rising waters of the Nile and bring them deep into the fields, across vast distances. But now, "the river shall be drained dry and parched."
"Ve-nishtu" derives from the concept of dislocation and removal, similar to gid ha-nasheh - the sinew that slipped and was dislocated from its place. "Ve-nishtu mayim me-hayam" - the water will be withdrawn and removed from the sea. In ancient times, it was believed that the waters in the Nile and in all rivers originated from subterranean sea waters. Although this is somewhat difficult to understand, as seawater is salty - unless one posits that it filters through the earth - in any case, this was the prevailing belief: that all rivers receive their water from the sea. Therefore, as soon as "the waters fail from the sea," meaning the water is depleted and withdrawn from the sea, consequently "the river shall be drained dry and parched" - the Nile river that irrigates their land will likewise be deprived of water.
Here the Malbim distinguishes between a nahar (river), a nachal (brook or stream), and a ye'or (channel or canal). A nahar is narrower than the sea, flowing forcefully and rushing with abundant water. A nachal is not narrow but wider and spreading out, neither deep nor raging like a river, but rather "like the waters of a brook that flow slowly," flowing gently. A ye'or is generally a reservoir or pool filled by rainwater, called ye'or because rain is referred to as or (light), as in "He covers His hands with light" (al kapayim kisa or), which refers to rain. And if you ask: is there not no rain in Egypt? The answer is: from where does the Nile originate? From Africa, from streams fed by melting snows, and ultimately it all derives from rain. It is therefore fitting to call those water reservoirs ye'orim, which were canals and pools they dug to collect the Nile's waters. For this reason, the term ye'or appears frequently in connection with the Nile, as they constructed numerous canals to irrigate their neighboring fields.
"Yecharav ve-yavesh" ("drained dry and parched") appears redundant. The Malbim explains: "yecharav" is always used for a moist entity whose moisture gradually diminishes and dries up - that is the first stage. And "yavesh" is the second stage, after it has already reached complete dryness.
Pasuk 6: "The Rivers Shall Turn Away"
וְהֶאֶזְנִיחוּ נְהָרוֹת דָּלְלוּ וְחָרְבוּ יְאֹרֵי מָצוֹר קָנֶה וָסוּף קָמֵלוּ׃ - And the rivers shall turn away; the canals of Egypt shall be emptied and dried up; the reed and rush shall wither.
The prophet continues to describe what will happen to the Nile and their other waterways. The river and the sea, which have already receded and dried up, will now abandon the smaller rivers. For from the Nile, which was the primary river, tributaries and branches spread throughout the entire land, and they are called neharot because they rush and flow forth from the Nile.
"Ve-he'eznichu" comes from the root zanach (to cast off or abandon). The Malbim distinguishes between azav (leaving) and natash (forsaking) on the one hand, and zanach on the other: azav and natash can refer to something one simply no longer needed and therefore left behind, but casting something off (zanach) denotes total revulsion and alienation. When people want to say that someone was abandoned in a harsh and painful manner, they say he was cast off, which is a far more severe term than mere desertion. Furthermore, Scripture employs the causative hif'il form, "ve-he'eznichu" rather than "zanchu", to indicate that an indelible mark was left upon it, proving it is no longer fit for its task. This is not casual abandonment, but a deliberate casting off to show that it is no longer needed at all and is worthless for any purpose. This is like "the vessels which King Ahaz cast aside during his reign," where it is explained that he defiled them and used them for idolatry; and like "Jeroboam and his sons cast them off"; and like "if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever" - leaving an impression that demonstrates He is distancing it entirely, not merely turning away and walking away, but making a clear mark that it will never be used again.
"The canals of the siege will diminish and dry up" - and not only this, but even the reservoirs that people dig in the ground to store water. And why were they called "canals of siege" (ye’orei matzor)? Because they were meant to assist during times of siege, for during a siege one must have something to drink. Therefore, they would make reservoirs and store water in them, so that if a siege or war came, they would have water to drink from.
Dalalu ("diminished") indicates a reduction of something. A poor person is called a dal because his wealth was diminished. Who is called a dal? Someone who was previously wealthy and became impoverished, depleted of his wealth. And if one is ill, it means his health has diminished, as Amnon's companion asked him: "Why are you looking so gaunt (dal), prince?" - after which he revealed to him his longing for Tamar and was advised about the cakes. There, dal means he was previously strong and became emaciated. So too regarding diminished honor: "The glory of Yaakov will diminish (yidal)", "Behold, my clan is the poorest (hadal) in Menasheh." In every case, dal denotes something that was once abundant and dwindled. Here too: the rivers were surging and then diminished, and in the second stage, "dried up" (charvu) - they dried up completely, even the canals they had constructed themselves.
"Reed and rush will wither" - not only did the water dry up, but even the reed and rush that constantly grow along the riverbank withered from the extreme dryness, and nothing remained of them. This is always the second stage: first the water dries up, and then the plants growing beside it dry up as well. The prophet proceeds gradually to show the extent of the drought that will unfold.
Pasuk 7: Vegetation Along the River
עָרוֹת עַל־יְאוֹר עַל־פִּי יְאוֹר וְכֹל מִזְרַע יְאוֹר יִיבַשׁ נִדַּף וְאֵינֶנּוּ׃ - The clearings by the river, at the mouth of the river, and everything sown by the river, shall dry up, be scattered, and be no more.
Another point: the Egyptians drew their livelihood from the grain that grew in their land. They had an abundance of crops because they irrigated from the Nile and never lacked water. Consequently, produce grew in vast quantities, and people would come to Egypt to buy provisions, as occurred in the days of Yosef when grain was plentiful in Egypt. And now the prophet says that even the self-sown crops that grow beside the river, and even those right on the riverbank, will all dry up.
Arot is related to "and striking deep roots (umit'areh) like a leafy indigenous tree." Being me'ureh means being firmly rooted and connected; the roots take hold in the ground, and this spreading and entwining of the roots in the soil is termed arot. "Arot al ye'or" refers to the plants firmly rooted along the river - not only those drawing nourishment from it at a distance, but "at the edge of the river" (al pi ye'or), immediately adjacent to the water, receiving the highest quality water and optimal irrigation. "And everything sown by the river" - lest one think only wild plants that grow on their own will wither, even what people intentionally sow, whose roots are typically sturdier and more enduring, will also dry up. "Be scattered" (niddaf) - as though driven from its place, blown away by the wind, "and be no more."
The Malbim adds a second explanation of "al pi ye'or": according to the first interpretation, it means like "by the mouth of the well" or "by the mouth of the cave" - that which grows at the opening or edge of the river. But one can also explain "al pi" as in "by the word of Aharon and his sons" and "by the command of Pharaoh," meaning according to its instruction. Thus, the verse means: those plants that grew on their own grew, as it were, "by the decree of the river" - you did not plant them, but the river effectively ordered them to grow; they sprouted by command of the river. Yet even they will ultimately be scattered and be no more, for a wind will come and blow them away.
Pasuk 8: The Fishermen Shall Lament
וְאָנוּ הַדַּיָּגִים וְאָבְלוּ כָּל־מַשְׁלִיכֵי בַיְאוֹר חַכָּה וּפֹרְשֵׂי מִכְמֹרֶת עַל־פְּנֵי־מַיִם אֻמְלָלוּ׃ - The fishermen shall lament, and all who cast a hook into the river shall mourn, and those who spread nets upon the waters shall languish.
The third element: an additional source of livelihood was fishing. First, they derived sustenance from the water itself; second, from the grain; and third, from the fish caught in the river, where fish were exceedingly abundant. "Ve'anu" ("shall lament") derives from the root of aninut (bereavement), like an onen.
The Malbim explains the distinction between ve'anu ("they shall lament") and ve'avelu ("they shall mourn"): an onen is one who grieves internally in his heart. Immediately upon a person's passing, there is aninut in the heart, which is why he is called an onen. Avelut (mourning), by contrast, is public and external. Aninut is within and avelut is without, as Midrash Eichah phrases it: "Aninut inside, and avelut outside." Once the deceased is buried, the internal aninut ceases, and formal mourning begins.
Therefore: the fishermen will lament immediately when the river dries up, for their livelihood has dwindled - they used to fish from the Nile, and now they cannot fish. Afterward, "and all who cast hooks into the Nile will mourn," referring to those who catch the larger fish with hooks, casting a harpoon or hook with a line on which the large fish are caught and hauled in. They will mourn only in the second stage, when the situation has become obvious, because large fish survive longer than small fish. In the first stage, the small fish caught by the ordinary fishermen will disappear, and in the second stage, when the disaster is obvious to all, the mourning will be evident among those who cast hooks as well.
"And those who spread nets upon the waters will languish" - a mikhmoret is a net, used to gather many fish, and usually, even when fish are scarce, one can still catch something with a net. The prophet says that a point will come when even those who cast nets - who always manage to find fish when no one else can - will also languish, for all the fish will perish and nothing will be left for them to catch.
Pasuk 9: And the Workers of Flax Shall Be Confounded
וּבֹשׁוּ עֹבְדֵי פִשְׁתִּים שְׂרִיקוֹת וְאֹרְגִים חוֹרָי׃ - And the workers of combed flax and the weavers of white linen shall be ashamed.
The fourth factor: another source of profit and livelihood in Egypt was flax. Flax grew there in abundance, as scripture mentions, "fine linen and purple... patterned linens of Egypt." Sheish is a garment of fine linen, which grew abundantly in Egypt, and Egypt was an empire renowned for weaving linen garments.
The prophet states that this too will be taken from them: those who work with flax, those who make serikot - that is, combed flax - and the artisans who weave the garments - "and the weavers of chorai," white garments, from the word chiver, meaning white, as in the Targum's rendering of "aged white wine" (chamar chiver atik). They too will be ashamed, searching for raw material and finding none, because there will be no flax. The logic is simple: if there are no rivers and no crops, flax will not grow either, and consequently, all those whose livelihood depends on flax will lose their source of income as well.
Pasuk 10: And Her Foundations Shall Be Crushed
וְהָיוּ שָׁתֹתֶיהָ מְדֻכָּאִים כָּל־עֹשֵׂי שֶׂכֶר אַגְמֵי־נָפֶשׁ׃ - And her foundations shall be crushed; all who make dams, grieved in soul.
The fifth factor: many people in Egypt earned their living through construction. What did they build? Dams and sluices to channel water from the Nile into dedicated irrigation ditches. As mentioned earlier, they possessed great engineering expertise in managing water levels and knowing how to divert the Nile's waters to irrigate the fields. "Her foundations" (shototeha) refers to the laborers engaged in this work, who directed the waters so that they would flow properly; they too will be crushed in poverty, for without water, there is no work or livelihood for dam builders.
"All who make dams (osei sekher)" - sekher is understood literally as a dam (seker), to hold the water and allow it to settle. "Agmei nafesh" connects to the concept of rest, as in "He rested and was refreshed (vayinafash)" - the water in the pond rests and ceases its flow. They built dams to create these standing pools of water. These workers too will be left without a livelihood, crushed by destitution, for once the Nile ceases to flow, all income derived from it vanishes.
The Malbim cites an additional explanation in the name of the commentators: "agmei nafesh" is akin to "ogmei nafesh," meaning that they will suffer anguish of spirit (ogmat nefesh). According to this interpretation, the word does not derive from agam (pond), but from agum, signifying gloom, grief, and sorrow. There is yet another explanation: a pond that contains fish, where fish are referred to as living creatures (nefashot), so that "agmei nafesh" describes the pools that gather and hold the souls of the fish.
Pasuk 11: The Princes of Tzoan Are Utter Fools
אַךְ־אֱוִלִים שָׂרֵי צֹעַן חַכְמֵי יֹעֲצֵי פַרְעֹה עֵצָה נִבְעָרָה אֵיךְ תֹּאמְרוּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹה בֶּן־חֲכָמִים אֲנִי בֶּן־מַלְכֵי־קֶדֶם׃ - Surely the princes of Tzoan are fools, the wisest of Pharaoh's counselors give senseless advice; how can you say to Pharaoh, "I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings"?
Now the prophet turns to Pharaoh's princes and counselors: How did you fail to foresee and anticipate the decree that was ordained upon him from Heaven? How can you make him empty promises, assuring him that he has nothing to worry about, nothing to fear, and that everything will be fine? "The princes of Tzoan are fools" - it is utter foolishness that you have committed.
The prophet addresses two groups here: "the princes of Tzoan" and "the wisest of Pharaoh's counselors." The Malbim explains: The princes are the leaders of the realm, the members of the government. The sages are the advisers - an adviser is not a minister, but when the king needs counsel, he turns to him, whether regarding "divine" wisdom, so to speak (the esoteric arts of the pagan powers in which they believed), or the magicians of Egypt, who were versed in all the sciences and disciplines accepted at that time, as Egyptian sorcerers possessed great wisdom in those days.
First, the prophet addresses the sages: How can you advise Pharaoh and encourage him to boast, saying, "I am a son of the wise" - that I possess inherited wisdom from my ancestors, that I am not someone who just began learning yesterday, but hold an established, time-honored tradition of wisdom? Then he turns to the princes, the government officials: How can you encourage Pharaoh to take pride, saying, "I am a son of ancient kings" - that I have no fear that my kingdom will fall, for I did not ascend the throne yesterday; rather, I possess an ancient, venerable royal dynasty, and I have nothing to dread? How can you give him such advice?
In summary:
In this chapter, Yeshayahu prophesies the downfall of Egypt in a systematic progression. First, their faith collapses: Hashem arrives upon a swift cloud, Egypt's idols tremble, and Egypt's heart melts. Then, unity collapses: strife descending into the finest details, brother against brother, until they have no strength left to fight at all. Then, wisdom collapses: Egypt's spirit is emptied out and its counsel is swallowed up, and they turn to idols and necromancers. Next, freedom collapses: harsh and numerous masters, and a fierce king ruling over them. Finally, their livelihood collapses across five sectors: the Nile itself, the grain, the fishing industry, the flax, and the construction around the dams. At the conclusion, the prophet turns to the sages and ministers who encouraged Pharaoh to pride himself on his pedigree and his ancestral wisdom, calling them fools: all of that self-assurance cannot withstand the counsel of Hashem, Master of Legions.