דברי הימים ב, פרק ל״ב, פסוק י״ח

The Assyrian army launches a calculated psychological campaign against the defenders of Jerusalem, aiming to break their spirit before a single weapon is drawn. Instead of speaking in their native Assyrian tongue or using Aramaic, the standard international language of the era, the messengers deliberately shout in the local Judean language, Hebrew. This choice is highly intentional, designed to ensure that every common person hears and understands the threats directly [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The propaganda is aimed specifically at the ordinary people and soldiers stationed on the city walls, rather than at King Hezekiah. The king is already well aware of the political and historical realities, so the messengers bypass him to target the vulnerable guards [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The ultimate goal of this public broadcast is to instill deep fear and panic [מצודת ציון]. By melting the hearts of the defenders [מצודת דוד], the Assyrians hope to induce such intense anxiety that the guards will abandon their posts. Weakening the city defenses from within would then make it much easier for the enemy forces to conquer Jerusalem [רלב״ג].

While the historical account in this specific moment is brief and omits the actual content of the threats, the full speech delivered by the Assyrian messengers is recorded in detail in the parallel historical records of Kings and Isaiah [רש״י].