Adoni Zedek
“Lord of righteousness or my lord is righteous”
Summary
The Amorite king of Jerusalem who organized a coalition of five Canaanite kings against the Gibeonites and was defeated and executed by Joshua in the famous battle where the sun stood still.
☩Identity and Context
Adoni-Zedek was the Canaanite king of Jerusalem when the Israelites invaded Palestine under Joshua. His name, meaning 'lord of righteousness' or 'just lord,' bears striking similarity to that of an earlier king of the same city, Melchizedek ('king of righteousness'), suggesting that 'Zedek' may have been one of the ancient names of Jerusalem, or that this title reflected a claim to righteous rule. This similarity has been noted as evidence that Canaanite idolatry was an apostasy from the primitive truth of God which they once possessed.
☩The Coalition Against Gibeon
After Jericho and Ai were taken, and the Gibeonites successfully formed a treaty with Israel, Adoni-Zedek was the first to rouse himself from the stupor that had fallen on the Canaanites. He formed a confederacy with four other Amorite kings—those of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—not to attack Israel directly, but to besiege Gibeon and punish them for their defection from the common Canaanite cause. This move forced Joshua to respond in defense of his new allies.
☩The Battle and Divine Intervention
When Joshua heard that Gibeon was under siege, he marched all night from Gilgal and fell unexpectedly upon the besieging army, putting them to utter rout. The pursuit was long and remarkable for two divine interventions: the Lord aided Israel by sending a tremendous hailstorm that killed more of the enemy than the Israelites' swords, and Joshua commanded the sun and moon to stand still, prolonging the day so that Israel could complete the victory. The fleeing kings were chased to Beth-horon, Azekah, and finally Makkedah.
☩Capture and Execution
The five kings fled and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. When discovered, Joshua ordered large stones rolled against the mouth of the cave and guards posted until the pursuit was complete. When the pursuers returned, the cave was opened and the kings brought out. The Hebrew chiefs set their feet upon the necks of the prostrate monarchs—an ancient mark of triumph attested in Persian and Egyptian monuments. The kings were then slain, their bodies hung on trees until evening, then taken down in accordance with the law and buried in the cave, which was sealed with great stones that remained for many years.
Related Verses1 mention
Joshua· 1 verse
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Adoni-zedek," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. I (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.John Kitto, "Adonizedek," in A Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature, vol. I (Mark H. Newman, 1845).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Adoni-Zedek," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).
- 4.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Adonizedek," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 5.American Tract Society, "Adonizedek," in American Tract Society Bible Dictionary (American Tract Society, 1859).
- 6.Chad Brand, Charles Draper, and Archie England (ed.), "Adoni-Zedek," in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Holman Bible Publishers, 2003).