יהושע, פרק י׳, פסוק כ׳

Following a fierce and decisive battle, Joshua and the Israelites nearly wiped out the opposing army. The victory was so overwhelming that only a handful of individuals managed to flee the battlefield in search of shelter.

Although the destruction seemed absolute, the primary approach among commentators is that the enemy was not literally annihilated to the last man. Instead, the number of survivors was simply so small that the opposing army was considered effectively destroyed. Only a scattered few managed to stay alive and escape the slaughter.

The escape route for these survivors eventually ended as they sought refuge inside fortified cities. [רד״ק] explains that their arrival at these strongholds was the direct result of their narrow escape; the few who survived were the ones who subsequently went into hiding. This crushing defeat, leaving only a tiny remnant hiding behind city walls, brought this phase of the war to a close. As [מלבי״ם] notes, this final outcome allowed the Israelites to return safely and in peace.