Its all about attitude

God reducing the army by the first 22'000 was to stop pride and arrogance, but there was also another more tactical reason.

The law spelt it out :

'Then the officers shall add,
"is any man afraid or faint-hearted? let him go home"' [Deut. 20:8]

Everyone knows that good morale is vital in this sort of war scene. Fear and negativity are contagious.

The promised land was hidden from the trekking Isrealites because they chose to believe the negative report from the 10 spies (10 were bad, 2 were good!) [Num. 13:32]

They were beaten without even realizing that they were in a battle.

To some, issues matter more than people.

These people would have been a liability on the battlefield and were better off at home.

Love you X