Adonibezek

4Judah went up to fight. The LORD handed the Canaanites and the Perizzites over to them. At a place called Bezek, they killed ten thousand men.

And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men.

NoteThe Perizzites were another group of people living in that land, like the Canaanites.

5There they found a king named Adoni-bezek. They fought against him and beat the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

NoteThe name Adoni-bezek means "lord of Bezek." It was more like a title than a name.

6Adoni-bezek ran away. They chased him and caught him. Then they cut off his thumbs and his big toes.

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

NoteCutting off thumbs and big toes was a cruel thing done long ago. Without thumbs a man could not hold a sword. Without big toes he could not run well. It meant he could never fight again.

7Adoni-bezek said, "I once cut the thumbs and big toes off seventy kings. They had to pick up scraps of food under my table. Now God has done to me what I did to them." They took him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

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.

NoteBack then a king often ruled just one town and its fields. That is why one land could have many kings.