Adoni-Zedek

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("lord of righteousness".) An Amorite king of Jerusalem, answering to the ancient king of it, Melchizedek (king of righteousness); one of many proofs that the Canaanite idolatry was an apostasy from the primitive truth of God which they once had. He headed the confederacy against Joshua, which the kings of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon also joined. Attacking Gebeon for having made peace with Israel, they in turn were attacked by Joshua, who came by forced march from Gilgal to the relief of his ally. Routed they fled to Bethhoron, thence to Azekah and Makkedah, amidst the fearful hailstorm from God, followed by the sun's standing still at Joshua's command. Brought forth from their hiding place, a cave at Makkedah to the mouth of which Joshua had caused great stones to be rolled, they had their necks trodden down by his captains, and then were slain and hung on trees until sunset ( Deuteronomy 21:23), and their bodies were buried in the cave.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Adoni-Zedek . King of Jerusalem at the time of the invasion of Canaan by the Israelites under Joshua. After the Gibeonites had succeeded in making a league with Israel, he induced four other kings to unite with him against the invaders. Joshua came unexpectedly upon the allied kings, and utterly routed them. They were discovered in a cave at Makkedah, and brought before Joshua, who ordered them to be slain. Their bodies were hung up until the evening, when they were taken down and flung into the cave where they had hid themselves. The mouth of the cave was filled up with great stones (  Joshua 10:1-27 ). Some have identified Adoni-zedek with Adoni-bezek of   Judges 1:5 .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Joshua 10:1 Joshua 10:22-26 Deuteronomy 21:23

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Hebrews Adoni ’ -Tse ’ dek, אֲדֹנַיאּצֶדֶק , Lord Of Justice, i.e. Just Lord; Sept. Ἀδωνισέδεκ v. r. Ἀδωνιβεζέκ , Vulg. Adonisedec), the Canaanitish king of Jerusalem when the Israelites invaded Palestine ( Joshua 10:1;  Joshua 10:3), B.C. 1618. After Jericho and Ai were taken, and the Gibeonites had succeeded in forming a treaty with the Israelites, Adonizedek was the first to rouse himself from the stupor which had fallen on the Canaanites ( Joshua 1:9-11), and he induced the other Amoritish kings of Hebron — Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon — to join him in a confederacy against the enemy. They did not, however, march directly against the invaders, but went and besieged the Gibeonites, to punish them for the discouraging example which their secession from the common cause had afforded. Joshua no sooner heard of this than he marched all night from Gilgal to the relief of his allies; and falling unexpectedly upon the besiegers, soon put them to utter rout. The pursuit was long, and was signalized by Joshua ’ s famous command to the sun and moon, as well as by a tremendous hail- storm, which greatly distressed the fugitive Amorites. (See Joshua).

The five kings took refuge in a cave, but were observed, and by Joshua ’ s order the mouth of it was closed with large stones, and a guard set over it, until the pursuit was over. When the pursuers returned, the cave was opened, and the five kings brought out. The Hebrew chiefs then set their feet upon the necks of the prostrate monarchs — an ancient mark of triumph, of which the monuments of Persia and Egypt still afford illustrations. (See Triumph).

They were then slain, and their bodies hung on trees until the evening, when (comp.  Deuteronomy 21:23) they were taken down and cast into the cave, the mouth of which was filled up with large stones, which remained long after ( Joshua 10:1-27). The severe treatment of these kings by Joshua has been censured and defended with equal disregard of the real circumstances, which are, that the war was avowedly one of extermination, no quarter being given or expected on either side; and that the war-usages of the Jews were neither worse nor better than those of the people with whom they fought, who would most certainly have treated Joshua and the other Hebrew chiefs in the same manner had they fallen into their hands. (Simeon ’ s Works, 2, 592.) (See Canaanites).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a - dō - nī - zē´dek ( אדניצדק , 'ădhōnıcedheḳ , "lord of righteousness"): King of Jerusalem at the time of the conquest of Canaan ( Joshua 10:1 ). When he heard of the fall of Ai and the submission of the Gibeonites, he entered into a league with four other kings to resist Joshua and Israel, and to punish Gibeon ( Joshua 10:3 ,  Joshua 10:4 ), but was overthrown by Joshua in a memorable battle ( Joshua 10:12-14 ). Adoni-zedek and his four allies were shut up in a cave, while the battle lasted, and afterward were taken out by Joshua's order, put to death and hanged on trees ( Joshua 10:22-27 ). It is noticeable that the name is almost the equivalent of Melchizedek, מלכּיצדק , malkı̄cedheḳ , "king of righteousness," who was ruler of Jerusalem in the time of Abraham.