Isaiah 19:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

However, when their guidance proved to be misguided and they were revealed to be deceitful, no one could assist them in finding true wisdom or sound reasoning, leaving them useless in their quest for answers, prompting them to seek wisdom elsewhere.

Some expressed astonishment at the leaders of Memphis, namely the priests and wise men believed to possess great knowledge in sorcery, held in high regard by the idolaters. Thus, the princes of Thanes were dismissed as insignificant, while the rulers of Memphis appeared grand and worthy of admiration to the king and those around him; yet, they also misled Egypt by entire groups, rather than individuals, gaining trust even though they could offer no genuine counsel. How were they able to gain this trust? The Lord, it is said, severed the spirit of seduction from them, eliminating all truth from their speech, rendering them incapable of thinking or expressing anything authentic, for the lips of idolaters are unable to contain truth. Consequently, they deceived Egypt, akin to a drunken man staggering and regurgitating, as intoxicated individuals often fall into filth from their own vomit.

Therefore, it is stated that no significant work will prosper for the Egyptians, neither achieving the beginning nor the end, as none of their endeavors will bear effectiveness, which represents their starting point and foundation. Moreover, none of their efforts will yield the desired results, symbolizing their folly and conclusion. The futility of human judgment and the unreliability of assistance become evident when God permits calamity and imposes His powerful hand upon those who stray from Him, altering the very fabric of reality according to His divine will.