HAMSTRING

In quadrupeds the hamstrings are the back tendons above the hock of the hind legs. Hamstringing, the act of cutting these tendons, cripples the animal, rendering it unfit for work or warfare The arbitrariness of Jacob’s sons Simeon and Levi found expression in their hamstringing bulls, likely when executing vengeance on the Hivites of Shechem. (Gen. 49:5, 6) In carrying out war operations, the Israelites hamstrung the horses of their enemies, on one occasion Joshua being specifically directed to do so by Jehovah. (Josh. 11:6, 9; 2 Sam. 8:3, 4; 1 Chron. 18:3, 4) This was the simplest method of putting horses out of the battle, and after being disabled in this way, the horses undoubtedly were killed, destroyed along with the war chariots. By not appropriating to themselves the horses of their enemies and then using them in warfare, the Israelites would be safeguarded from being ensnared into relying on horses instead of on Jehovah for protection.—Compare Deuteronomy 17:16; Isaiah 31:1, 3.