“Pursue your enemies and attack them from the rear.” God did not say, “Attack their rear,” as if the slowest of the enemy was what God was concerned with. Israel was to “attack them,” starting with the first ones of the enemy they could reach; the men in the rear of the retreat. But God was clear that Israel was not to let the enemy get back into their walled cities. For some reason, Joshua himself stayed at Makkedah, but the reason is not clear (cp. Josh. 10:21).