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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Thumbs and toes cut off | Judg 1:6 | Michael Draves | 199629 | ||
The Stone Edition Tanach note on Judges 1:6 Nowhere else do we find Jews mutilating their opponents, as they do to Adoni-bezek. God prompted them to do this in order to frighten the remaining Canaanite rulers and to punish Adoni-bezek measure for measure for the atrocities he had inflicted on his victims (Ralbag). Search books.google.com and amazon.com for "cut off thumbs jewish" Encyclopedia of Jewish Medical Ethics P. 54 under Amputee: Legend relates that the Jews exiled to Babylon after the destruction of the first Temple cut off there thumbs so that the would not have to sing songs of Zion and play musical instruments before Nebuchadnezzar. Judas Maccabaeus: The Jewish Struggle Against the Seleucids p 369 regarding the treatment of Nicanor: The Babylonian Talmud version is further removed: 'They cut off the thumbs of his hand and feet and hung them at the gates of Jerusalem and said, A mouth that used to speak arrogantly and hands that used to be brandished at Jerusalem...' (Taanith 18b). |
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2 | Thumbs and toes cut off | Judg 1:6 | budderfligh | 199761 | ||
Thank you Michael. After more searching I found that Matthew Henry had mentioned this scripture in his commentary with the following explanation: " Adoni-bezek was taken prisoner. This prince had been a severe tyrant. The Israelites, doubtless under the Divine direction, made him suffer what he had done to others; and his own conscience confessed that he was justly treated as he had treated others. Thus the righteous God sometimes, in his providence, makes the punishment answer the sin." I did take the time to look at the Encyclopedia of Jewish Medical Ethics. It also mentions Adonibezek and cites it as being an act of retribution against him and definitely not a Jewish custom and most certainly is not mentioned in Jewish law specifically however one Jewish law does come to my mind, "“an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”. When I originally asked the question I had thought that the thumb and the toe itself had some special significance so I appreciate your final quote from the Talmud. May the Lord bless you and keep you, budderfligh |
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