Adonibezek

Judg. i. 4. vi. 7.ADONIBEZEK, King of the City of Bezek, in the land of Canaan, seventeen miles from Naplouse eastward¹. Adonibezek was a powerful and cruel Prince, who took seventy Kings, and having order’d the extremities of their hands and feet to be cut off, made them eat the remains of what was served up to him under his table. After the death of Joshua, the Hebrews finding themselves to be press’d within too narrow a compass by the Canaanites, who endeavour’d to keep their footing in the Country, consulted the Lord, that they might know who should lead them to the war against their Enemies. The Lord directed that they should put themselves under the conduct of the Tribe of Judah. This Tribe engaged that of Simeon to unite with it, in order to reduce the Canaanites, who possess’d several places within their allotment, with a promise mutually to assist those of the Tribe of Simeon in making a conquest of what the Canaanites still possess’d within their Division. The two Tribes marched therefore against Adonibezek, who was at the head of an Army of Canaanites and Perizzites. They beat him, killed ten thousand of his Men, and having taken him alive, they cut off his toes and fingers: Then Adonibezek acknowledged the justice of this Punishment, and owned that God treated him in the manner wherein he had treated the seventy Princes who had fallen into his Power. The Hebrews afterwards carried him to Jerusalem, which they were going to besiege, and there he died, in the year of the World 2585, before Jesus Christ 1415, before the vulgar Æra 1419.

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