יהושע, פרק י׳, פסוק ט׳

In warfare, the element of surprise is often the deciding factor for victory. Joshua orchestrated a tactical move designed to catch his enemies completely off guard and gain a significant military advantage. The primary approach among commentators is that his sudden appearance on the battlefield was the result of a rapid, undetected approach, ensuring the enemy had no warning and sensed nothing before the attack began.

To secure this absolute surprise, Joshua led his army on a continuous march throughout the entire night. Using the cover of darkness to hide their movements, the troops climbed from Gilgal up into the mountainous region where Gibeon was located. By marching through the night without stopping, the soldiers managed to arrive in secret, positioning themselves to strike the opposing forces with total suddenness.