ישעיהו, פרק ל״ו, פסוק י״ג

The confrontation outside the walls of Jerusalem reaches a critical turning point as the Assyrian envoy shifts his strategy to direct psychological warfare against the besieged citizens. An earlier request by Judah's officials, who asked the envoy not to speak the local language, ultimately backfired. Through their anxious plea, the Assyrian representative realized that the public's trust in King Hezekiah and in God was fragile [שד״ל].

This perceived weakness only fueled his arrogance and malice. He determined to openly insult God and break the people's loyalty to their king, hoping to manipulate the citizens into surrendering and opening the city gates [שד״ל].

Seizing the moment, the envoy deliberately stands and projects his voice loudly in the local Judean language. He specifically aims his message at the everyday citizens rather than their leaders, ensuring that everyone present can clearly hear and understand his threat [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. By demanding that the crowd listen to the great king of Assyria, he intentionally belittles the local leadership. His goal is to force the people to submit to the overwhelming power of the Assyrian empire instead of following Hezekiah, whom he attempts to frame as an insignificant and powerless ruler [מלבי״ם].