Toward the end of days, a massive global awakening will trigger a dramatic ingathering of exiles from every corner of the earth. A divine call will reach out to all scattered factions of the nation, even those who have been completely assimilated and forgotten, urging them to reunite around the service of God in Jerusalem. The absolute certainty of this future event is a central focus of the prophetic vision [רד״ק]. During this time, the wandering people will come to realize that their existence in exile is ultimately lost, prompting a deep desire to return to Jerusalem [אבן עזרא].
The announcement of this gathering is signaled by the blast of a great horn. The primary approach among commentators is that this imagery is entirely metaphorical. It symbolizes a worldwide awakening, a sign of victory, and a public summons to gather and return home, as if a mighty blast were echoing for the entire world to hear [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, שד״ל, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ, צאינה וראינה]. Alternatively, this call represents terrifying signs and wonders that God will display in the sky, making it clear to everyone that the time of the Messiah has arrived [אהבת יהונתן].
A distinction is made between two types of exiles, reflecting their different historical realities. One group consists of those who are completely lost. These are the ten tribes who were historically exiled to Assyria, assimilated into other cultures, and scattered to distant, unreachable places like beyond the Sambation river. Because their exact locations and identities faded entirely from memory, they are considered truly lost [רש״י, רד״ק, מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד]. The second group consists of those who were merely cast out, such as the exiles in Egypt and other later diasporas. While they were driven to the edges of the earth, they never completely vanished from the nation's consciousness; they were simply distanced [רד״ק, מלבי״ם, אהבת יהונתן]. Ultimately, the specific regions of Assyria and Egypt serve to represent all the various lands of exile throughout the world [אברבנאל].
As the journey begins, the scattered masses will not travel directly from their individual host countries to their final destination. Instead, they will first converge within specific central lands, using them as gathering points and transit stations. Only after uniting in these intermediate locations will the entire nation travel together to the Land of Israel [חומת אנך, רד״ק].
The ultimate goal of this grand gathering is to bow before God on the holy mountain in Jerusalem. Most commentators identify this location literally as Mount Moriah, the specific site of the Temple [מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. However, another perspective suggests that the holy mountain is a broader concept, referring to any place where God's active providence is openly revealed to the world through signs and miracles [שד״ל].