Judges 1:6
New International Version
Adoni-Bezek fled, but they chased him and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

New Living Translation
Adoni-bezek escaped, but the Israelites soon captured him and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

English Standard Version
Adoni-bezek fled, but they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.

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

King James Bible
But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

New King James Version
Then Adoni-Bezek fled, and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

New American Standard Bible
But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued him and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

NASB 1995
But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

NASB 1977
But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

Legacy Standard Bible
But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued him and seized him and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

Amplified Bible
But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.

Christian Standard Bible
When Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

American Standard Version
But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

Contemporary English Version
The king tried to escape, but soldiers from Judah caught him. They cut off his thumbs and big toes,

English Revised Version
But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Adoni Bezek fled. Judah's troops chased him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

Good News Translation
He ran away, but they chased him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

International Standard Version
Adoni-bezek ran off, but they pursued him, caught him, and amputated his thumbs and big toes.

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

NET Bible
When Adoni-Bezek ran away, they chased him and captured him. Then they cut off his thumbs and big toes.

New Heart English Bible
But Adoni-Bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

Webster's Bible Translation
But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

World English Bible
But Adoni-Bezek fled. They pursued him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Adoni-Bezek flees, and they pursue after him, and seize him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes,

Young's Literal Translation
And Adoni-Bezek fleeth, and they pursue after him, and seize him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes,

Smith's Literal Translation
And lord Bezek will flee, and they will pursue after him and take him; and they will cut off the thumbs of his hands and of his feet.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Adonibezec fled: and they pursued after him and took him, and cut off his fingers and toes.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then Adonibezek fled. And they pursued him and captured him, and they cut off the ends of his hands and feet.

New American Bible
Adonibezek fled. They pursued him, and when they caught him, they cut off his thumbs and big toes.

New Revised Standard Version
Adoni-bezek fled; but they pursued him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But the lord of Bezek fled; and they pursued him and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the Master of Bezeq fled and they chased after him, and they caught him and they cut off the thumbs and big toes of his hands and of his feet
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Adonibezek fled, and they pursued after him, and took him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Conquest of Canaan Proceeds
5And there they found Adoni-bezek and fought against him, striking down the Canaanites and Perizzites. 6As Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes. 7Then 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.…

Cross References
Joshua 10:16-27
Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. / And Joshua was informed: “The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.” / So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post men there to guard them. ...

1 Samuel 15:32-33
Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.” Agag came to him cheerfully, for he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” / But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.

2 Samuel 4:12
So David commanded his young men, and they killed Rechab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron, but they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.

1 Kings 20:30-34
The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek, where the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room. / Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.” / So with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’” And the king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” ...

2 Kings 25:7
And they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.

Deuteronomy 7:2
and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.

Deuteronomy 25:19
When the LORD your God gives you rest from the enemies around you in the land that He is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you are to blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!

Exodus 23:32-33
You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. / They must not remain in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

Exodus 34:12-16
Be careful not to make a treaty with the inhabitants of the land you are entering, lest they become a snare in your midst. / Rather, you must tear down their altars, smash their sacred stones, and chop down their Asherah poles. / For you must not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. ...

Numbers 33:52-55
you must drive out before you all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places. / You are to take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess. / And you are to divide the land by lot according to your clans. Give a larger inheritance to a larger clan and a smaller inheritance to a smaller one. Whatever falls to each one by lot will be his. You will receive an inheritance according to the tribes of your fathers. ...

Psalm 137:8-9
O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, blessed is he who repays you as you have done to us. / Blessed is he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.

Matthew 7:2
For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Matthew 26:52
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.

Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Romans 2:1
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.


Treasury of Scripture

But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

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Adonibezek Adoni-Bezek Ado'ni-Be'zek Adoni-Zedek Big Caught Chased Cut Overtook Pursue Pursued Seize Thumbs Toes
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Adonibezek Adoni-Bezek Ado'ni-Be'zek Adoni-Zedek Big Caught Chased Cut Overtook Pursue Pursued Seize Thumbs Toes
Judges 1
1. The acts of Judah and Simeon
4. Adonibezek justly requited
8. Jerusalem taken
10. Hebron taken
11. Othniel has Achsah to wife for taking of Debir
16. The Kenites dwell in Judah
17. Hormah, Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron taken
21. The acts of Benjamin
22. Of the house of Joseph, who take Bethel
30. Of Zebulun
31. Of Asher
33. Of Naphtali
34. Of Dan














Adoni-bezek fled
The name "Adoni-bezek" means "lord of Bezek," indicating his rule over the city of Bezek. Historically, Bezek is identified with a location in the territory of Judah, though its exact archaeological site remains uncertain. The act of fleeing suggests a moment of desperation and fear, as Adoni-bezek attempts to escape the consequences of his actions. This reflects a broader biblical theme where those who oppose God's people often find themselves in a state of panic and retreat.

but they pursued him
The Israelites' pursuit of Adoni-bezek demonstrates their commitment to fulfilling God's command to conquer the land. The Hebrew root for "pursued" (רדף, radaph) conveys a sense of relentless pursuit, emphasizing the determination and obedience of the Israelites. This pursuit is not merely a physical chase but also a spiritual act of following God's directive to claim the Promised Land.

and captured him
The capture of Adoni-bezek signifies a moment of divine justice. The Israelites' success in capturing him is a testament to God's faithfulness in delivering their enemies into their hands. Historically, capturing a king or leader was a significant victory, symbolizing the defeat of the entire nation or city. This act underscores the power and authority of God working through His chosen people.

and cut off his thumbs and big toes
This action may seem harsh by modern standards, but it carries significant historical and theological implications. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, cutting off the thumbs and big toes of a captured king was a common practice to incapacitate him, preventing him from wielding a weapon or running effectively. Theologically, this act serves as a measure-for-measure justice, as Adoni-bezek himself admits in the following verse that he had done the same to seventy kings. This reflects the biblical principle of retributive justice, where individuals reap what they sow, highlighting God's sovereignty and justice.

(6) Cut off his thumbs and his great toes.--The cutting off of his thumbs would prevent him from ever again drawing a bow or wielding a sword. Romans who desired to escape conscription cut off their thumbs (Suet. Aug. 24). The cutting off of his great toes would deprive him of that speed which was so essential for an ancient warrior, that "swift-footed" is in Homer the normal epithet of Achilles. Either of these mutilations would be sufficient to rob him of his throne, since ancient races never tolerated a king who had any personal defects. This kind of punishment was not uncommon in ancient days, and it was with the same general object that the Athenians inflicted it on the conquered 'ginetans. Mohammed (Koran, Sur. 8:12) ordered the enemies of Islam to be thus punished; and it used to be the ancient German method of punishing poachers ('lian, Var. Hist. ii. 9). The peculiar appropriateness of the punishment in this instance arose from the Lex talionis, or "law of equivalent punishment," which Moses had tolerated as the best means to limit the intensity of those blood-feuds (Leviticus 24:19-20; Deuteronomy 19:21; comp. Judges 15:10-11). which, "because of the hardness of their hearts," he was unable entirely to abolish.

Verse 6. - Cut off his thumbs, etc. These cruel mutilations, like the still more cruel one of putting out the eyes (Judges 16:21; Numbers 16:14; 1 Samuel 11:2; 2 Kings 25:7), were intended to cripple the warrior in his speed, and to incapacitate hint from the use of the bow, or sword, or spear, while yet sparing his life, either in mercy, or for the purpose of retaining his services for the conqueror.

CHAPTER 1:8-20

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
As Adoni-bezek
בֶ֔זֶק (ḇe·zeq)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 137: Adoni-bezek -- 'lord of Bezek', a ruler in Canaan

fled,
וַיָּ֙נָס֙ (way·yā·nās)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5127: To flit, vanish away

they pursued him,
וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּ (way·yir·də·p̄ū)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7291: To pursue, chase, persecute

seized him,
וַיֹּאחֲז֣וּ (way·yō·ḥă·zū)
Direct object marker | third person masculine singular
Strong's 270: To grasp, take hold, take possession

and cut off
וַֽיְקַצְּצ֔וּ (way·qaṣ·ṣə·ṣū)
Direct object marker
Strong's 7112: To chop off

his thumbs
בְּהֹנ֥וֹת (bə·hō·nō·wṯ)
Noun - fdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 931: The thumb of the hand, great toe of the foot

and big toes.
וְרַגְלָֽיו׃ (wə·raḡ·lāw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - fdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7272: A foot, a step, the pudenda


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OT History: Judges 1:6 But Adoni-Bezek fled (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 1:5
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