Judges 1 6

Judges 1:6 kjv

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

Judges 1:6 nkjv

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

Judges 1:6 niv

Adoni-Bezek fled, but they chased him and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

Judges 1:6 esv

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

Judges 1:6 nlt

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

Judges 1 verses

Judges 1 6 Meaning

Judges 1:6 describes the capture of Adoni-bezek, the Canaanite king of Bezek, after he attempted to flee from the Judahite forces. Upon his capture, his thumbs and his great toes were cut off. This act was a specific form of incapacitation and humiliation, preventing him from effectively wielding weapons or fleeing, and was an ancient Near Eastern military practice often reserved for defeated warrior kings. The subsequent verse (Judges 1:7) reveals Adoni-bezek's own understanding of this act as divine retribution for his past cruelty towards other captured kings.

Judges 1 6 Context

Judges chapter 1 serves as an introduction to the period of the Judges, following the death of Joshua. It details the initial, partial success of the Israelite tribes, particularly Judah and Simeon, in conquering the land promised by God. The chapter begins with the tribes inquiring of the Lord who should lead the fight against the remaining Canaanites (Jdg 1:1-2). Judah is chosen and, with the assistance of Simeon, achieves victories against the Canaanites and Perizzites, notably at Bezek. The defeat and capture of Adoni-bezek mark a significant initial triumph for the tribes, highlighting the theme of God's leading and empowering His people, even as the narrative soon turns to the various failures to completely dispossess the inhabitants of the land. Historically, this period reflects a decentralized tribal structure beginning the daunting task of settling and securing the Promised Land amidst established, fortified Canaanite city-states, whose brutal military tactics, such as those practiced by Adoni-bezek, were common in the ancient Near East.

Judges 1 6 Word analysis

• But (וְ): This conjunctive particle, often translated "and," serves here to transition from the battle itself to the immediate consequence for Adoni-bezek, signifying a direct reaction to the Judahite victory.

• Adoni-bezek (אֲדֹנִי־בֶזֶק, ʾĂḏōnî-Bezeq): His name means "Lord of Bezek" or "My Lord is Bezek," indicating his authority over the city or region of Bezek, or perhaps connecting him to a pagan deity named Bezek (possibly related to "lightning" or "scattering"). He is a key figure representing the defeated Canaanite kingship.

• fled (נָס, nas): This verb signifies a desperate attempt to escape. It underscores his defeat and humiliation as a powerful king forced into flight from his conquerors.

• and they pursued him (וַיִּרְדְּפוּ אֹתוֹ, vayyirdefû ʾōṯô): The verb radaph (to pursue) conveys relentless pursuit. "They" refers to the Judahites, showing their determination to secure their victory by capturing the leader.

• and caught him (וַיֹּאחֲזֻהוּ, vayyoʾaḥazūhū): From ʾaḥaz (to seize, grasp, take hold of), this signifies a successful apprehension after the chase, marking the definitive end of his escape attempt.

• and cut off (וַיְקַצְּצוּ, vayqaṣṣeṣū): Derived from qatsats (to cut off, amputate). This strong verb highlights the deliberate and severe nature of the act, suggesting a thorough amputation. The form used indicates a precise and decisive action.

• his thumbs (אֲגוּדְלוֹת יָדָיו, ʾăḡûdlōṯ yāḏāyw): ʾĂḡûdāl (thumb), critical for grasping weapons (swords, spears, bows) and vital for a warrior's ability to fight effectively. Removing them completely incapacitated him as a military threat.

• and his great toes (וּבְהֹנוֹת רַגְלָיו, ûḇəhōnōṯ raḡlāyw): Bōhen (big toe), essential for balance and stability, particularly in running, climbing, or maintaining footing during combat. Their removal severely hindered his mobility and capacity for escape or sustained action.

• Words-group: "fled; and they pursued him and caught him": This sequence describes the swift and complete apprehension of the enemy king. It signifies the success of the Israelite pursuit and capture operation, emphasizing the Judahites' determination to finalize their victory.

• Words-group: "cut off his thumbs and his great toes": This specific action is profoundly symbolic and practical. It represents a deliberate, extreme act of incapacitation and humiliation. In the ancient world, it was a direct parallel to the king's own atrocities (as revealed in Jdg 1:7), serving as a measure-for-measure form of justice, disabling a warrior from ever returning to battle or exercising physical authority.

Judges 1 6 Bonus section

The practice of mutilating enemy captives, particularly cutting off thumbs and toes, was not unique to Adoni-bezek. Archeological and historical records indicate that such practices, though brutal, were a known method of military humiliation and incapacitation in the ancient Near East, stripping a captured king of his very identity as a warrior. It effectively prevented a warrior from ever holding a sword, bow, or shield again, and from fleeing. Adoni-bezek’s specific act of inflicting this mutilation on seventy kings (as revealed in Judges 1:7) showcases his extreme cruelty and provides the direct theological rationale within the biblical text for his own suffering. His confession serves to confirm that his punishment was a righteous divine judgment, not merely an arbitrary act of human vengeance, underscoring the sovereignty of God over all earthly rulers and their systems of injustice.

Judges 1 6 Commentary

Judges 1:6 succinctly portrays a definitive act of Israelite victory and subsequent retribution against Adoni-bezek, a powerful Canaanite king. The capture of the fleeing monarch signals a complete military success for Judah. The dismemberment—the cutting off of his thumbs and great toes—was not a gratuitous act of cruelty from the perspective of the biblical narrative, but rather an exact, though brutal, measure of justice, known in scholarship as lex talionis. While gruesome by modern standards, it was a recognized practice in ancient warfare for incapacitating enemy leaders and was seen as a just consequence, confirmed by Adoni-bezek himself in the following verse. This direct divine justice illustrates the principle of sowing and reaping, where the wicked receive a repayment for their own deeds. It demonstrates God's sovereignty over earthly kings and His involvement in Israel's conquest, showing that the instruments of judgment against the unrighteous were, in this period, the faithful Israelite tribes. This initial success highlights the power and justice of God manifest through His people when they follow His direction, setting a thematic precedent for the Judges period concerning the consequences of obedience and disobedience.