Bible Questions and Answers

Adoni-bezek – meaning Lord of Bezek (lightning), Bezek being a Canaanite city, was taken captive by Judah, and they cut off his thumbs and great toes. He confessed that this was righteous judgment upon him, because he had done the same to seventy kings, whom he made to gather their food under his table.

Judges 1:6,7 But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. 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.

The cutting off of the thumbs makes work with the hands impossible. The cutting off of the big toes makes walking difficult. The act reduced the kings to a state of dependency on others. Why the men of Judah cut off Adonibezek’s thumbs and big toes we are not told. It was not a commandment of God. We might surmise that they were incensed by Adonibezek’s barbarity. It is an example of man’s inhumanity to his fellow man.

In the consecration of Aaron and his sons, the placing of blood on the right ear, the thumb of the right hand and the big toe of the right foot signified holiness in how they heard, the work they did and how they lived.

Leviticus 8:22 And he (Moses) brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. 23 And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. 24 And he brought Aaron’s sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet...

The blood of a trespass offering and oil was placed on the right ear, the thumb of the right hand and the big toe of the right foot of a healed leper as part of his ceremonial cleansing.

Leviticus 14:14 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot: 15 And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand: 16 And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD: 17 And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering

In order to walk with God we must be circumspect in how we hear the word of God, what we do and how we live.

There is a contrast to be drawn between an earthly Lord who disables and destroys kings and a heavenly Lord who wants us to hear his words, do good to others and live in a godly manner so that he might make of us kings and priests in the kingdom of God when Christ returns.

Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

I hope you have found this helpful.

May God bless you
Glenn.