Judges 1:5

_AND THEY FOUND ADONIBEZEK IN BEZEK: AND THEY FOUGHT AGAINST HIM, AND THEY SLEW THE CANAANITES AND THE PERIZZITES._ They found, х_ WAYIMTSª'UW_ (H4672), they found, came upon]. ADONI-BEZEK - i:e., lord of Bezek; i:e., they surprised and routed him [Septuagint, [katelaboon] in a pitched battle, whence he fled; but being taken prisoner, be was treated with a severity unusual among the Israelites, because they "cut off his thumbs and his great toes." Barbarities of various kinds were commonly practiced on prisoners of war in ancient times; and the object of this particular mutilation of the hands and feet was to disable them for military service ever after. The infliction of such a horrid cruelty on this Canaanite chief would have been a foul stain on the character of the Israelites, if there were not reason for believing it was done by them as an act of retributive justice; and as such i...

1-8 The Israelites were convinced that the war against the Canaanites was to be continued; but they were in doubt as to the manner in which it was to be carried on after the death of Joshua. In these respects they inquired of the Lord. God appoints service according to the strength he has given. From those who are most able, most work is expected. Judah was first in dignity, and must be first in duty. Judah's service will not avail unless God give success; but God will not give the success, unless Judah applies to the service. Judah was the most considerable of all the tribes, and Simeon the least; yet Judah begs Simeon's friendship, and prays for aid from him. It becomes Israelites to help one another against Canaanites; and all Christians, even those of different tribes, should strengthen one another. Those who thus help one another in love, have reason to hope that God will graciousl...

Verse Judges 1:5. _AND THEY FOUND ADONI-BEZEK_] The word מצא _matsa_, "he found," is used to express a _hostile encounter_ between two parties; to _attack, surprise_, c. This is probably its meaning here. _Adoni-bezek_ is literally the _lord of Bezek_. It is very probable that the different Canaanitish tribes were governed by a sort of chieftains, similar to those among the _clans_ of the ancient Scottish Highlanders. _Bezek_ is said by some to have been in the tribe of Judah. Eusebius and St. Jerome mention two villages of this name, not in the tribe of Judah, but about seventeen miles from Shechem....

EXPOSITION JUDGES 1:1 AFTER THE DEATH OF JOSHUA. The events narrated in Joshua 1:1. and Joshua 2:1 all occurred before the death of Joshua, as appears by Judges 2:8, Judges 2:9, and by a comparison of Joshua 14:6 and Joshua 15:13-6. The words, _and it came to pass after the death of Joshua_,_ _must therefore be understood (if the text is incorrup

AND THEY FOUND ADONIBEZEK IN BEZEK,.... Who was king of, the place, and whose name signifies lord of Bezek; not that they took him there, for he is afterwards said to make his escape from thence, but here he was when they came against that city, and into which they rushed upon him, and fell upon him as follows: AND THEY FOUGHT AGAINST HIM; entering the city with their forces: AND THEY SLEW THE CANAANITES AND THE PERIZZITES: that were in it, or about it, even to the number of ten thousand, as before related, Judges 1:4....

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE INTRODUCTION: ISRAEL'S FAILURE AND THE RESULTS 1. Israel's Failure in mingling with the Canaanites CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The question and the answer (Judges 1:1)_ 2. Adoni-Bezek (Judges 1:5) 3. Jerusalem (Judges 1:8) 4. Judah's victory and failure (Judges 1:9) 5. The children of Benjamin and their failure (Judges 1:21) 6. The failures of others (Judges 1:22) The book begins with an inquiry of the Lord.

JUDGES 1:1 TO JUDGES 2:5. THE CONQUESTS AND SETTLEMENTS OF THE ISRAELITES IN WESTERN PALESTINE. From this introduction, which is one of the most valuable parts of early Hebrew history, we learn that the various tribes invaded the land either singly or in small groups; that they had failures as well as successes; that in many instances they did not destroy the older population, but settled peacefully among them; and that, in particular, the larger cities of Canaan, as well as the fertile valleys and the Maritime Plain, remained in the possession of the Canaanites. The conquests of Judah were separated from those of Joseph by a belt of walled cities with Jerusalem in its centre. Another line of strongholds, extending from Bethshan near the Jordan to Dor on the sea coast, shut up Ephraim and Manasseh in the central highland

ADONI-BEZEK. Lord of Bezek. Bezek was seventeen miles south of Shechem. Compare 1 Samuel 11:8. Compare Joshua 15:13....

_The conquests of Judah_ 2 _.the land_ Not the whole land, but the part which had fallen to Judah's lot....

THEY FOUND ADONI-BEZEK— Adoni signifies Lord, or Master; so that Adoni-bezek was evidently the _King,_ or _Lord,_ of Bezek. See Bochart's Hieroz. pars 1: lib. 2....