ישעיהו, פרק ה׳, פסוק כ״ו

God acts as a supreme military commander, effortlessly summoning foreign armies from distant lands to carry out a punishment against the nation. Using universally recognized signals from both the battlefield and the natural world, He rouses these forces to launch a rapid and decisive campaign toward the land of Israel. The primary approach among commentators is that God stirs the hearts of these distant empires to lay siege to Israel, acting exactly like a general gathering troops under a unified flag [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא, שד״ל].

To call these armies, God employs both visual and auditory signals. The visual signal is a tall pole topped with a cloth, set upon a high mountain to be seen from great distances as a rallying point for soldiers [רש״י, מצודת ציון]. In addition to this banner, God uses a whistle, which serves as another gathering call [רש״י, מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם]. This imagery is drawn from the natural world, much like a beekeeper whistling to gather a swarm of bees [שד״ל]. There is a sense of progression in these signals. While the raised flag is meant for battalions far away, the eagerness of the enemy is so intense that a mere whistle is enough to draw them from the ends of the earth [מלבי״ם]. Historically, this summons is directed specifically at the king of Assyria, whose spirit God awakens to march upon Samaria and destroy it [שד״ל, אברבנאל].

The response to this divine call is immediate and enthusiastic. The advancing army is not forced into battle; rather, they are driven by a fierce desire to fight, resulting in an approach marked by immense speed and a complete lack of fatigue [אברבנאל, רד״ק]. Commentators note a distinction in how this rapid advance is described. One aspect refers to the timing of the event, indicating that the enemy sets out on their journey instantly. Another aspect describes the physical agility and running speed of the soldiers themselves [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. While there is an opinion that both descriptions simply refer to a short amount of time passed, the preferred approach is that the latter specifically highlights the swift-footed nature of the invading troops [אבן עזרא].