יהושע, פרק י׳, פסוק י״ט

In the heat of battle, maintaining momentum is crucial for a decisive victory. The military directive given at this stage focuses entirely on keeping up the chase and preventing the fleeing enemy from regrouping or fortifying their positions. The soldiers are instructed not to linger around the enemy kings who have already been captured, but rather to press forward with the pursuit immediately.

The primary approach among commentators is that the strategy involves attacking the back of the retreating army. This action is compared to cutting off a tail at the end of a body. By striking down the soldiers trailing behind the main camp, the pursuing forces can steadily reduce the number of escaping troops.

A critical part of the command is to stop the enemy forces before they can reach the safety of their walled cities. The strategic logic behind this urgency is clear: laying siege to a walled city is a highly complex and difficult military operation. It is far easier to defeat the enemy forces while they are exposed in the open field, especially with the assurance that God has already delivered them into their hands.