תהלים, פרק י״ח, פסוק ל״ט

A total battlefield victory ensures that an enemy can never recover or pose a future threat. The crushing blow delivered to the adversaries injures and breaks them entirely [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

There are different perspectives on the exact intensity of this strike. One approach suggests that the physical blow is actually quite light. The uniqueness of this victory is that even after a minor hit, the enemies are completely unable to stand; they simply collapse and fall apart on their own [מלבי״ם]. Conversely, another perspective views this as a description of absolute destruction. The enemies cannot recover because they are entirely wiped out, mirroring the historical wars of David where almost no one survived, save for a few individuals fleeing on camels [רד״ק].

Why is such total destruction necessary, rather than simply leaving the enemies beaten and unable to rise? The answer lies in the danger of leaving them behind. If they are not completely removed, they become a stumbling block rolling underfoot, tripping anyone who walks over them. Even when humiliated and defeated, surviving enemies remain a future threat to the people of Israel. This reflects the historical reality of leaving certain nations in the land after its conquest, which turned them into a permanent, dangerous obstacle [אלשיך].