צפניה, פרק א׳, פסוק ט״ז

The approaching Day of Judgment brings an atmosphere of terror, marked by the loud sounds of war echoing around the most protected and heavily fortified places. The piercing blast of the horn and the loud battle cries signal the chaos of combat. The primary approach among commentators is that these terrifying noises belong to the attacking enemies, such as the Chaldean army, who shout in triumph as they lay siege to the cities and conquer them [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, a different perspective suggests that these sounds actually erupt from within the besieged cities themselves. In this view, the desperate defenders blow their horns to sound the alarm and prepare for the enemy's arrival, echoing the bitter cries of mighty warriors caught in deep distress [מלבי״ם].

A deeper look into the nature of these sounds reveals a distinct purpose for each type of alarm. The blast of the horn serves as a broad, general declaration of war aimed at the fortified cities as a whole. In contrast, the loud battle cry carries a specific message of devastation and ruin, directed squarely at the highest, most prominent points of defense [מלבי״ם]. These high points are generally understood to be the heavily fortified towers positioned strategically at the angles of the fortress walls [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Yet, another interpretation views these elevated targets not as man-made structures, but rather as towering, natural hills [אבן עזרא].