That walk to go down into Egypt
That walk out of their own land to go thither; who sent
messengers thither to form an alliance, and get help and
assistance, or went in person, to secure themselves from present
danger. Jarchi refers this to the times of Hoshea, the son of
Elah, king of Israel, who sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, (
2 Kings
17:4 ) . Jerom to the times of Jeremiah, to the history in
his prophecy, ( Jeremiah
41:17 ) and others to Zedekiah. Kimchi thinks it respects the
time of Ahaz, though there is no account, either in the books of
Kings or Chronicles, of sending then to Egypt for help; or else
to the times of Hezekiah himself; which latter is right, as
appears from the insults of Rabshakeh, when Sennacherib's army
was before Jerusalem, ( Isaiah 36:6 ) :
and have not asked at my mouth:
or as the Targum,
``the words of my prophets they have not asked;''they did not inquire of the prophets of the Lord, whether they should go down or not: to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh;
by making an alliance with him, and receiving men and horses from him, to assist them against the Assyrians; this Pharaoh was he whom the Scriptures call So, ( 2 Kings 17:4 ) and by other writers, Sevechus and Sethon: and to trust in the shadow of Egypt;
the protection that would afford them, in which they placed their confidence, and thought themselves safe from their other enemy, by having so powerful an ally; but this was but a shadow, as are whatsoever men trust in short of the Lord himself, be they riches or righteousness, or any creature or creature enjoyment.
