The inevitable fall of a great and fortified city often mirrors the tragic fate of the mighty empires that preceded it. Despite its past glory and immense power, Nineveh faces a total and unavoidable collapse. To illustrate the sudden panic and loss of control in the face of danger, the prophecy compares the city's reaction to a state of drunkenness.
The primary approach among commentators is that Nineveh, no longer immune to the disaster that claimed the city of No-Amon before her, will be forced to drink from a cup of poison until she is completely intoxicated [רש"י, רד"ק, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This drunkenness is not physical. Rather, it represents the deep mental confusion and loss of senses that stem from overwhelming distress, much like a person who has completely lost their grip on reality [אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. Alternatively, this drinking is viewed through a lens of dark irony. It acts as a traditional cup of consolation typically given to mourners, from which Nineveh will drink and become drunk with grief over her own ruin [מלבי"ם].
As a result of this disorienting intoxication, the city will completely vanish. The primary approach among commentators is that Nineveh will be wiped from the earth as if she had never existed and had never ruled as a capital. This mirrors a drunkard who loses consciousness and is considered completely absent from his surroundings [רד"ק, מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא, אברבנאל, מלבי"ם]. On the other hand, this disappearance can be seen as an active response, with the city desperately trying to shrink back and hide from the impending threat [ביאור שטיינזלץ].
Driven by an immense fear of the approaching enemy, identified specifically as the king of Babylon [אברבנאל], Nineveh will desperately search for a stronghold. She will look for strength, a shield, and a fortified shelter for protection [רד"ק, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, there is a consensus that this search for help and shelter will be entirely useless. Just as previous empires sought rescue and found none, Nineveh's impressive fortresses will offer no real defense, leaving her with no refuge from her final destruction [מצודת דוד, מלבי"ם, אברבנאל].