A scene of utter military collapse and mass panic unfolds, where a massive army is reduced to a shattered, fleeing remnant terrified by the slightest threat. The trigger for this chaos is merely the shout or harsh rebuke of the enemy [מצודת ציון]. The primary approach among commentators is that a thousand warriors, including special and important men [מצודת דוד], will run away in fear from a single individual. Offering a different perspective, [אבן עזרא] explains that this refers to a high-ranking military commander in charge of a thousand soldiers who will run in panic from one person.
As the panic spreads, the situation escalates. Most commentators agree that if just five enemies raise their voices, an entire camp will flee for their lives. However, [שד״ל] views this differently, suggesting it is not a description of the whole camp running away. Instead, it is a common figure of speech meaning that a thousand men will flee from just one or five enemies. The result of this desperate escape is that the survivors will scatter in every direction until only a few isolated individuals remain [רש״י, רד״ק, מלבי״ם].
These remaining survivors are compared to a ship's mast and a signal banner. A mast is a tall, straight pole, while a banner is a high post set on a hill, flying a cloth in the wind to signal soldiers to gather or retreat [רש״י, מצודות, שד״ל]. The primary meaning of this imagery is absolute loneliness. Just as a mast or a signal pole stands completely alone on high ground, visible from a great distance, the survivors will find themselves scattered and isolated from one another [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, שד״ל]. Expanding on this, [אבן עזרא] notes that the banner specifically refers to the surviving few who will remain in Jerusalem rather than escaping to Egypt.
Beyond sheer loneliness, the imagery carries a warning of extreme danger. [שד״ל] proposes that by standing out in the open landscape, the fleeing survivors will actually draw enemies toward them, much like troops rallying around a military flag. [מלבי״ם] takes this idea further by distinguishing between two different hiding places. Those who flee to a high mountain will remain totally isolated, like a bare mast. However, those who seek refuge on a lower hill will become like a signal banner, turning into a highly visible target that attracts enemy forces to gather and attack them.