יהושע, פרק ח׳, פסוק ו׳

The planned military tactic relies heavily on psychological warfare and deception, deliberately exploiting the enemy's premature sense of victory. The Israelite army prepares a fake retreat designed to lure the people of Ai out of their fortress and provoke a chase. The primary approach among commentators is that the goal of this maneuver is to completely detach and remove the enemy from the safety of their city walls. A more vivid interpretation compares this action to drawing a sword from its sheath, pulling the enemy out of their protective casing [רש״י].

The success of this deception depends entirely on the men of Ai believing that the Israelites are fleeing just as they did in the past. Rather than suspecting an ambush, the enemy will be convinced that the Israelites are running away in genuine terror, mirroring the defeat of the first battle [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד].

To ensure the trap works, the plan requires a continuous, prolonged retreat. The Israelites intend to keep running, drawing the enemy deep into the desert long after they have been separated from the city. This extended pursuit is crucial, as it provides the hidden ambush force with ample time to infiltrate the abandoned city, set it on fire, and ultimately close in on the enemy from behind [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד].