Judges 1:6

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

Judges 1:6 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
6 But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
6 Adoni-bezek fled, but they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.
New Living Translation (NLT)
6 Adoni-bezek escaped, but the Israelites soon captured him and cut off his thumbs and big toes.
The Message Bible (MSG)
6 My-Master-Bezek ran, but they gave chase and caught him. They cut off his thumbs and big toes.
American Standard Version (ASV)
6 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 (GW)
6 Adoni Bezek fled. Judah's troops chased him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
6 When Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
6 But Adoni-Bezek ran away. Judah chased him and caught him. Then they cut off his thumbs and big toes.

Judges 1:6 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 1:6

But Adonibezek fled, and they pursued after him, and caught
him
It is very probable his view was to get to Jebus or Jerusalem, a strong and fortified city and he made his way thither as fast as he could, but was pursued and overtaken by some of the forces of Judah and Simeon; and the rather it may seem he took this course, since when he was taken by them, they brought him thither, as follows:

and cut off his thumbs and his great toes;
whereby he was disabled both for fighting and for fleeing. So the Athenians cut off the thumbs of the right hand of the Aeginetae, the inhabitants of the island of Aegina, to disable them from holding a spear, as various writers F6 relate. Whether the Israelites did this, as knowing this king had used others in like manner, and so, according to their law of retaliation, "eye for eye" ( Exodus 21:23-25 ) , required it; or whether, ignorant of it, were so moved and directed by the providence of God to do this, that the same measure might be measured to him which he had measured to others, is not certain; the latter seems most probable, since the Israelites did not usually inflict such sort of punishments; and besides, according to the command of God, they should have put him to death, as they were to do to all Canaanites.


FOOTNOTES:

F6 Valerius Maximus, l. 9. c. 2. Aelian, Var. Hist. l. 2. c. 9. Cicero de Officiis, l. 3. c. 11.

Judges 1:6 In-Context

4 When Judah attacked, the LORD gave the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek.
5 It was there that they found Adoni-Bezek and fought against him, putting to rout the Canaanites and Perizzites.
6 Adoni-Bezek fled, but they chased him and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.
7 Then Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have picked up scraps under my table. Now God has paid me back for what I did to them.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
8 The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem also and took it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire.
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