‘ And the men pursued after them by the way to Jordan, to the fords, and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.'
Believing her words the pursuers left the city and made for the fords of the Jordan, using the regular road, ‘the Way to Jordan' (Judges 3:28; 2 Samuel 19:15), hoping to catch the men there, and the gate was shut after them. This may not have been the first time that night that the gate had been shut, for it may have been shut previously and they may have arranged for it to be opened in the king's name The mention of it is to demonstrate the fear in all their hearts. Even though the king's men were to come back they dared not leave the gates open.