מיכה, פרק ג׳, פסוק ז׳

The inevitable collapse of false prophets occurs when reality finally exposes their deceit. Once their predictions fail to materialize, their carefully constructed illusions shatter, leaving them facing severe public humiliation and a profound, mourning silence.

When the seers and diviners witness the failure of their visions, they will be struck with deep embarrassment [רד"ק, מצודת דוד]. While this humiliation is generally understood as a shared disgrace, there are varying degrees to their downfall. The seers will experience standard shame, but the diviners, whose fabrications are far more blatant, will face a humiliation so intense that they will wish to bury themselves in the dirt to escape the public eye [מלבי"ם].

This overwhelming disgrace takes a physical form as they cover their upper lips and the lower halves of their faces. This action is rooted in an ancient mourning custom, reflecting their grief over their sudden misfortune and public failure [רד"ק, שטיינזלץ, מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד]. On a deeper, symbolic level, wrapping the face represents the permanent sealing of their mouths. By covering their lips, they appear as though they have none at all, forcing them into complete silence and putting an end to their deceptive speech [מלבי"ם].

The root cause of their silent mourning is the stark absence of any true speech or answer from God [רד"ק, מצודת ציון]. In the end, the sudden quiet of these once-vocal figures will lead to a widespread awakening. The entire nation will finally recognize that the predictions of these individuals were never actual messages from God, but merely lies and deceit entirely invented from their own imaginations [אבן עזרא, רד"ק, מצודת דוד, מלבי"ם].