יהושע, פרק ח׳, פסוק כ״ו

During the conquest of Ai, the raised hand of the commander served as a continuous message to the soldiers on the battlefield. Joshua held his javelin high in the air and deliberately chose not to lower it. This lifted weapon acted as a clear military signal. As long as the javelin remained raised, the troops understood they were to press forward, maintain their momentum, and continue the attack. Joshua kept his arm extended in this commanding posture until the battle was entirely finished and all the inhabitants of the city had been killed.