Bezek

Easton's Bible Dictionary

The place where Saul numbered the forces of Israel and Judah ( 1 Samuel 11:8 ); somewhere in the centre of the country, near the Jordan valley. Probably the modern Ibzik, 13 miles north-east of Shechem.

Copyright Statement These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., DD Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography Information Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Bezek'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/b/bezek.html. 1897.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Be'zek. (Lightning).

1. The residence of Adonibezek ,  Judges 1:6, in the lot of Judah. Compare  Judges 1:3.

2. Where Saul numbered the forces of Israel and Judah, before going to the relief of Jabesh-gilead.  1 Samuel 11:8 This was, doubtless, somewhere in the centre of the country, near the Jordan valley. No identification of either place has been made, in modern times.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Bezek ( Bç'Zek ), Lightning. 1. A city in the allotment of Judah, where Adoni-bezek lived, whom the Israelites, having defeated the Canaanites and Perizzites, took prisoner.  Judges 1:3 to  Judges 5:2. A place where Saul reviewed his troops previously to the relief of Jabesh-gilead,  1 Samuel 11:8; it was within a day's march of Jabesh (9).

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

1. Adoni-Bezek's residence, in Judah's lot ( Judges 1:3-5). (See Adoni-Bezek Now Beit-zata, S. of Jerusalem, or else Bezik on the road from Nablus to Beisan.

2. Where Saul numbered the national forces before relieving Jabesh Gilead from Ammon ( 1 Samuel 11:8); somewhere near the Jordan valley, within marching distance from Jabesh, 17 miles from Shechem, on the road to Bethshan.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

BEZEK . Two places so called are perhaps to be distinguished in OT. 1 .  Judges 1:5 . A place attacked by Judah after Joshua’s death, probably Bezkah , a ruin W. of Jerusalem, in the lower hills. 2 .   1 Samuel 11:8 , where Saul gathered Israel before advancing on Jahesh-gilead The most likely site in this connexion is the ruin Ibzik , N.E. of Shechem, opposite Jabesh.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A city of the Canaanites, of which Adoni-zedek was king. The account of its capture by Judah is in  Judges 1:1-8 . Here Saul reviewed his forces before going to raise the siege of Jabesh-gilead,  1 Samuel 11:8 .

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. City in which 10,000 of the Canaanites and Perizzites were slain, to be possessed by Judah.  Judges 1:4,5 . Identified with Bezkah, 32 22' N, 35 24' E .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Judges 1:4 1 Samuel 11:8

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. id. בֶּזֶק , Lightning; Sept. Βέζεκ and Βεζέκ ), the name apparently of two places in Palestine.

1. The residence of Adoni-bezek, i.e. the "lord of Bezek" ( Judges 1:5), in the "lot ( גֹּרָל ) of Judah" ( Judges 1:3), and inhabited by Canaanites and Perizzites ( Judges 1:4). This must have been in the mountains ("up"), not far from Jerusalem ( Judges 1:7); possibly on the eminence near Deir El-Ghafr, marked by Van de Velde ( Map ) at four miles S.W. of Bethlehem (comp. Robinson, Researches, 2, 337, 338). Sand ( Itiner. p. 182) mentions a village Bezek two miles west of the site of Beth-zur, but this lacks confirmation. Others propose other identifications, even the Bezetha on the north of Jerusalem. (See Bezeth).

2. The rendezvous where Saul numbered the forces of Israel and Judah before going to the relief of Jabesh-gilead ( 1 Samuel 11:8). From the terms of the narrative this cannot have been more than a day's march from Jabesh, and was therefore doubtless somewhere in the center of the country, near the Jordan valley. In accordance with this is the mention by Eusebius and Jerome ( Onomast. s.v. Βεζέκ , Bezech ) of two places of this name seventeen miles from Neapplis (Shechem), on the road to Beth- shean. This would place it at Khulat-Maleh, on the descent to the Jordan, near Succoth. The Sept. inserts Ἐν Βαμά after the name, possibly alluding to some "high place" at which this solemn muster took place. This Josephus gives as Bala ( Βαλά , Ant. 6, 5, 3). Schwarz ( Palest. p. 158) says that "Bezek is the modern village Azbik, five English miles south of Beth- shean;' but no other traveler speaks of such a name.

Bezek (Addendum From Volume 11)

1. ( Judges 1:5.) This is thought by Lieut. Conder ( Tent-Work, 2, 335; Quar. Statement Of The " Pal. Explor. Fund, " 1881, p. 50) to be the ruined site Bezkah, "south of Lydda," but the Ordnance Map contains no such name in that immediate vicinity.

2. ( 1 Samuel 11:8.) This has been fully recovered by Lieut. Conder ( Ibid. ) in the ruined site, with graves and cisterns, laid down on the Ordnance Map as Khirbet Izbik, nine miles west of the Jordan and eleven miles southwest of Beisan.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bē´zek ( בּזק , bezeḳ  ; Βέζεκ , Bézek , Codex Vaticanus, Ἀβιέζεκ , Abiézek ):

(1) The city of Adoni-bezek taken by Judah and Simeon ( Judges 1:4 f), in the territory allotted to Judah. It is somewhat doubtfully identified with Bezḳah , about 3 miles Northeast of Gezer.

(2) The place where Saul marshaled his army before marching to the relief of Jabesh-gilead ( 1 Samuel 11:8 ). Eusebius, Onomasticon speaks of two villages of this name 17 Roman miles from Shechem, on the way to Scythopolis. No doubt Khirbet Ibzı̄ḳ is intended. Here, or on the neighboring height, Rās Ibzı̄ḳ , a mountain 2,404 ft. above sea level, the army probably assembled.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Be´zek, a city over which Adoni-bezek was king ( Judges 1:4, sq.), and where Saul mustered his army to march to the relief of Jabesh-Gilead ( 1 Samuel 11:8). Eusebius and Jerome mention two towns of this name close together, seventeen miles from Neapolis in Shechem, on the road to Bethshan.