Judges 1:7

_AND ADONIBEZEK SAID, THREESCORE AND TEN KINGS, HAVING THEIR THUMBS AND THEIR GREAT TOES CUT OFF, GATHERED THEIR MEAT UNDER MY TABLE: AS I HAVE DONE, SO GOD HATH REQUITED ME. AND THEY BROUGHT HIM TO JERUSALEM, AND THERE HE DIED._ Threescore and ten kings. So great a number will not appear strange, when it is considered that, anciently, every ruler of a city or large town was called a king. It is not improbable that, in the large region of Canaan called the Negeb, or "south country," there might in earlier times have been many rulers, until a turbulent chief like Adoni-bezek devoured them in his insatiable ambition. THEY BROUGHT HIM TO JERUSALEM, AND THERE HE DIED. They brought Adoni-bezek there in order, probably, that his fate being rendered so public might inspire terror far and wide....

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 1:7. _THREESCORE AND TEN KINDS_] Chieftains, heads of tribes, or military officers. For the word _king_ cannot be taken here in its proper and usual sense. _HAVING THEIR THUMBS AND THEIR GREAT TOES CUT OFF_] That this was an ancient mode of treating _enemies_ we learn from _AElian_, who tells us, _Var. Hist_. l. ii., c. 9, that "the Athenians, at the instigation of Cleon, son of Cleaenetus, made a decree that all the inhabitants of the island of _AEgina_ should have the thumb cut off from the right hand, so that they might ever after be disabled from holding a spear, yet might handle an oar." This is considered by AElian an act of great cruelty; and he wishes to Minerva, the guardian of the city, to Jupiter Eleutherius, and all the gods of Greece, that the Athenians had never done such things. It was a custom among those Roman

THREESCORE AND TEN KINGS - We may infer from this number of conquered kings, that the intestine wars of the Canaanites were among the causes which, under God’s Providence, weakened their resistance to the Israelites. Adoni-Bezek’s cruelty to the subject kings was the cause of his receiving (compare the marginal references) this chastisement. The loss of the thumb would make a man unfit to handle a sword or a bow; the loss of his big toe would impede his speed....

AND ADONIBEZEK SAID,.... To the men of Judah, after his thumbs and toes were cut off, his conscience accusing him for what he had done to others, and being obliged to acknowledge he was righteously dealt with: THREESCORE AND TEN KINGS, HAVING THEIR THUMBS AND THEIR GREAT TOES CUT OFF; that is, by him, or by his orders, whom he had conquered and made captives; according to Josephus g, they were seventy two; the number may be accounted for by observing, that in those times, as appears by the preceding book, every city had a king over it; and besides, these seventy kings might not be such who had had the government of so many cities, but many of them such who had reigned successively in the same city, and had fallen into the hands of this cruel and tyrannical king, one after another, and their sons also with them might be so called: and these he says GATHERED [THEIR MEAT] UNDER MY TABLE:...

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

GATHERED. i.e. [the pieces]. AS. according as. GOD Hebrew. _Elohim._ App-4....

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

DISCOURSE: 261 ADONI-BEZEK’S PUNISHMENT Judges 1:6. _But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. And Adoni-bezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me._ THERE are times and seasons afforded us for the performance of our duty, which, if they be once lost, can never afterwards be recovered. It was thus with the Israelites in the invasion of Canaan: if they had followed up their successes with becoming zeal, their difficulties would have been comparatively light: but at no time did they advance with that ardour which they should have manifested in such a cause. Joshua had reproved them for their indolence [Note: Jo