Original Word: בֶּזֶק
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Bezeq
Pronunciation: beh'-zek
Phonetic Spelling: (beh'-zak)
KJV: Bezek
NASB: Bezek
Word Origin: [from H965 (בָּזָק - bolts of lightning)]

1. lightning
2. Bezek, a place in Israel

Bezek

From bazaq; lightning; Bezek, a place in Palestine -- Bezek.

see HEBREW bazaq

Word Origin
from the same as bazaq
Definition
a place in Pal.
NASB Translation
Bezek (3).

בֶּ֫זֶקִ proper name, of a location 1 Samuel 11:8 (בְּבָ֑זֶק) rendezvous of Israel under Saul and Samuel; Judges 1:4,5 home of Adoni-bezek; on location compare Euseb. Lag^{Onom. 105, 2nd ed. 139}; see also Stu. Judges 1:4; Judges 17th (mile-)stone from Neapolis toward Scythopolis; modern –irbet Ibzî‡, 14 English miles from Nâblus, Survey^{ii. 231}. **Nes^{AJSL xiii {1897}. 176} conjectures meaning gravel, compare modern Ramle = sand. **Error in Judges 1:4,5 (see GFM).

Biblical Occurrences

Judges 1:4—“When Judah attacked, the LORD delivered the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek.”

Judges 1:5—“And they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek and fought against him, striking down the Canaanites and Perizzites.”

1 Samuel 11:8—“And when Saul mustered them at Bezek, there were three hundred thousand Israelites and thirty thousand men of Judah.”

Historical Setting

1. Conquest and Settlement (Judges 1). Shortly after Joshua’s death, the tribes of Judah and Simeon advanced against remaining Canaanite strongholds. Bezek became the scene of their earliest joint victory, where “the LORD delivered” their enemies, underscoring God’s continued faithfulness during the formative years of the tribal confederation.
2. Early Monarchy (1 Samuel 11). Bezek re-emerges as Saul gathers Israel’s fighting men to rescue Jabesh Gilead from Ammonite oppression. The town thus frames both the beginning of tribal cooperation under the judges and the first united action under an anointed king.

Geographical Considerations

Most scholars locate the Bezek of Judges in the hill country of Judah, commonly identified with modern Khirbet Ibziq, roughly thirteen miles northeast of Shechem. The Bezek in 1 Samuel is often placed east of the Jordan near Beth-shean, situating Saul closer to Jabesh Gilead. Whether one or two sites are intended, the name marks key transit points along north–south and east–west routes, offering natural assembly grounds for large forces.

Key Personalities

• Adoni-Bezek: A Canaanite ruler defeated by Judah and Simeon. His self-confessed cruelty (seventy kings maimed beneath his table) and subsequent punishment by the Israelites illustrates poetic justice and God’s providential moral order (Judges 1:6-7).
• Saul: Israel’s first king finds in Bezek a strategic rallying place. By numbering “three hundred thousand Israelites and thirty thousand men of Judah,” he forges national solidarity and demonstrates decisive leadership empowered by the Spirit of God (1 Samuel 11:6-8).

Theological Significance

1. Divine Retribution. The fate of Adoni-Bezek reveals a measure-for-measure principle seen throughout Scripture (cf. Matthew 7:2; Galatians 6:7). God’s justice operates in history, vindicating His righteousness.
2. Covenant Faithfulness. The victory of Judah and Simeon and later Saul’s deliverance of Jabesh Gilead both unfold “at Bezek” as tangible proofs of the LORD’s covenant commitment to protect and unify His people.
3. Leadership and Unity. From tribal alliances to national monarchy, Bezek highlights God’s method of raising leaders (Judah’s clan chiefs, Saul) and forming Israel into one people—anticipatory of the ultimate unity found in the Messiah.

Lessons for Ministry Today

• Justice tempered by humility: The Israelites’ judgment on Adoni-Bezek followed his own admissions, reminding believers to uphold justice while recognizing God as the final Judge.
• Spirit-empowered leadership: Saul’s muster began with the Spirit rushing upon him; effective ministry still depends on divine enabling rather than mere numbers.
• Corporate obedience: Judah and Simeon’s cooperation and later the nationwide response to Saul encourage congregations and ministries to pursue unity in fulfilling God’s mandates.

In Later Biblical Reflection

While Bezek itself is not mentioned beyond the historical books, the themes it embodies—righteous judgment, covenant loyalty, Spirit-led leadership, and united action—resonate through the Prophets and culminate in the New Testament’s portrait of Christ, who executes perfect justice (Revelation 19:11-16) and gathers God’s people into one body (Ephesians 2:14-16).

בְּבֶ֔זֶק בְּבָ֑זֶק בבזק bə·ḇā·zeq bə·ḇe·zeq bəḇāzeq bəḇezeq beVazek beVezekInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts