Adoni-Zedek, King of Jerusalem
Ruler at a Glance
Overview
Biography
Adoni-Zedek appears in Joshua 10 as the ruler of Jerusalem during the Israelite campaigns in Canaan. The biblical narrative calls him one of five Amorite kings. This designation is worth preserving: although the city later became closely associated with the Jebusites, Joshua 10 itself describes the coalition as Amorite. The record places him under Jebusite Jerusalem because of his association with the city, without claiming that the passage explicitly calls him a Jebusite.
When Adoni-Zedek heard that Joshua had defeated Jericho and Ai and that Gibeon had made a peace agreement with Israel, he became alarmed. Gibeon was an important city, and its agreement with Israel threatened the balance of power among the surrounding Canaanite rulers. He called on Hoham of Hebron, Piram of Jarmuth, Japhia of Lachish, and Debir of Eglon to join him in attacking Gibeon.
The five kings gathered their forces and besieged Gibeon. The Gibeonites appealed to Joshua for help. Joshua led his army from Gilgal, surprised the coalition, and pursued its retreating forces. The narrative describes divine intervention in the battle, including large hailstones and the extraordinary account of the sun standing still.
The five kings took refuge in a cave at Makkedah. Joshua ordered the cave secured until the pursuit was complete. The kings were then brought out, publicly humiliated, executed, and placed in the cave, which was sealed with stones.
The text does not identify Adoni-Zedek's father, predecessor, successor, or the exact years of his reign. The resemblance between his name and that of Melchizedek, an earlier king of Salem in Genesis 14, has prompted discussion, but the biblical text establishes no family relationship between them.
Jerusalem was an important fortified settlement in the Bronze Age. Archaeological evidence confirms occupation of the area, but no independent inscription has securely identified Adoni-Zedek or verified the particular coalition and battle described in Joshua 10. The account remains important for understanding the Bible's presentation of Jerusalem before David made it his capital.