A sudden and sharp transition from pride to paralyzing fear captures the fall of Jerusalem and its people. Once glorious and full of self-confidence, the city's heart melts into deep despair as the threat of the approaching Assyrian army looms [שד״ל, רד״ק, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Several commentators tie this dramatic shift to a specific historical moment: the meeting between King Hezekiah's messengers and the Assyrian military commander. Overcome by fear and weakness, the messengers spoke with deep submission and in hushed tones. They even begged the commander to speak to them in Aramaic, hoping to prevent the people listening on the city walls from hearing his threats and falling into a panic [אבן עזרא, רד״ק, אברבנאל].
To illustrate the sheer magnitude of this humiliation, the imagery focuses on the physical lowering of the voice, accompanied by bowing and bending down [מצודת ציון]. The people are brought so low that their speech becomes incredibly faint, sounding as though it is emerging from beneath the ground itself [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. There is a gradual deepening of this degradation. The imagery moves from the ground to the dust, symbolizing a descent into an even more shameful and lowly state, while normal speech fades into a frail, quiet whisper [מלבי״ם]. These repeating ideas highlight the intensity of their surrender and their endless begging. Some suggest that this silent, desperate pleading is ultimately intended to awaken the mercy of God [רש״י, מצודת דוד].
The broken nature of their cries is further compared to the muffled sounds of a ghost or a spirit summoned by a sorcerer. Such voices do not sound like living human beings; rather, they are dull whispers echoing up from the dead beneath the earth [רד״ק, מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם, אבן עזרא]. Finally, the total loss of human dignity reaches its peak as their speech is likened to the thin, weak chirping of small birds. This reflects absolute weakness, showing that they no longer possess the strength to produce a clear, human sound [רש״י, מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם].