Yeshayahu Ch. 32 | "A King Will Govern to Bring Goodness"

A – The Ideal King
In the apocalyptic chapters, we encountered the motif of protection and shelter from the storm, where the protector was God alone (e.g., 25:4). The prophecy in our chapter uses the same imagery to describe the protection offered by a flesh-and-blood leader: “A man will be a hiding place from the gale, from the winter storm shelter” (32:2). How can we return to a reliable and stable human leadership when the goal of Yeshayahu’s prophecies has been to humble human pride and emphasize God's leadership alone? The answer is simple: “A king will govern to bring goodness and ministers rule to bring justice” – A king and leaders who will repair righteousness and justice, which were set as the primary challenges at the book's outset, will bring about a tangible realization of miraculous salvation. This salvation will come through humankind who heed God’s word.

These verses also close thematic circles from Chapters 5–6 of Yeshayahu: In contrast to “make their ears heavy; coat their eyes with plaster” (6:10), we now hear: “The eyes of those who see will not be blinded, and the ears of those who hear, they will be listening” (32:3). In contrast to “Woe to those who say of evil, ‘good’; of good, ‘evil’” (5:20), we now hear: “No more will fools be counted noble, nor villains be named the elite” (32:5). All this is thanks to the leader who prioritizes righteousness and justice: “A king will govern to bring goodness and ministers rule to bring justice.”

B – The Rhetorical Structure of Delay
Later in the chapter, we return to rebuke, hearing a speech directed at “the women of security.” In the attached article, Dr. Doron Dan discusses the prophet’s sophisticated use of a rhetorical structure of delay and double meanings in the rebuke of verses 11–14.

C – Low Will the Town then Fall
One of the more difficult verses to understand in the chapter is verse 19: “Hail will fall as the forest comes down, and low, low will the town then fall.” See Rabbi Eliezer of Beaugency’s commentary and the article by Dr. Noah Hacham. Briefly summarized, the previous verses describe the state of the tranquil and secure city. This verse conveys that, due to its great sense of security, the city can afford to expand even into the lowlands. Typically, a city prefers to settle in elevated areas and fortify itself with walls along the slopes to maintain a strong defensive position. During the redemption described here, the profound sense of security will allow the city to expand into lower areas. Beyond this straightforward meaning, there is also a symbolic, moral point: Yeshayahu extensively addresses the problem of pride. In the redemption described here, the humbling of the city and its expansion into the lowlands may serve two purposes:
1. It reflects the profound sense of security.
2. The security is described in terms of “descent and humility” — a security that does not stem from human pride but from understanding one’s proper place.