midnight
No watch was set , and the gates of the city were seldom closed even at night . The plans were now finally arranged . Jethro , with a band of two hundred men , was to enter the town in the daytime ; some going down to the next port and arriving by sea , others entering singly through the gates . At midnight they were to assemble in the square round the palace , which was to be suddenly attacked . Amuba , with the main body , was to approach the city late in the evening and to station themselves near one of the gates . Jethro was before the hour named for the attack to see whether this gate was open and unguarded , and if he found that it was closed and under charge of an Egyptian guard , he was to tell off fifty men of his command to attack and overpower the Egyptians , and throw open the gate the instant they heard the trumpet , which was to be the signal for the attack of the palace . Jethro 's party were , therefore , the first to start , going off in little groups , some to the neighboring ports , others direct to the city .