Atomic Bible

Canaanite king captured and mutilated by Judah

Adoni-bezek

Named in 3 verses of Judges, first in Judges 1:5.

אֲדֹנִי־בֶ֫זֶקAdoni-bezek

The name means “the lightning of the Lord; the Lord of lightning.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869

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Canaan

About Adoni-bezek Written by AI

Adoni-bezek was a Canaanite king mentioned in Judges 1:5 to 7. He ruled over the city of Bezek, which was located in the territory allocated to the tribe of Judah after the Israelites entered the Promised Land. According to the account in Judges, the men of Judah and Simeon fought against Adoni-bezek and defeated him. During the battle, Adoni-bezek fled, but he was pursued, caught, and captured by the Israelites. As punishment for his cruelty, the Israelites cut off Adoni-bezek's thumbs and big toes. This was an act of retribution, as Adoni-bezek himself confessed that he had done the same to seventy other kings who had gathered scraps under his table. The seventy kings Adoni-bezek mutilated likely represented the extent of his power and dominion over the surrounding areas. Adoni-bezek acknowledged the justice of his punishment, stating, "As I have done, so God has repaid me" (Judges 1:7). This statement reflects the biblical principle of reaping what one sows and the concept of divine retribution for evil deeds. After his capture and mutilation, Adoni-bezek was brought to Jerusalem, where he died. The defeat of Adoni-bezek was part of the larger conquest of Canaan by the Israelites under the leadership of Joshua and the subsequent judges.

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

GenesisMatthewRevelation

Where the Bible names him

  1. Judges 1:5

    And there they found Adoni-bezek and fought against him, striking down the Canaanites and Perizzites.

  2. Judges 1:6

    As Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

  3. Judges 1:7

    Then Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have gathered the scraps under my table. As I have done to them, so God has repaid me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem, where he died.

From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.