And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite ,.... Though he did not take his kingdom from him for his sin, he chastised him with the rod of men, as he said he would; suffering one, and then another, to rise up and disturb his peace in his old age, see 2 Samuel 7:14 . he was of the king's seed in Edom ; of the blood royal. read more
For it came to pass, when David was in Edom ,.... Fighting with the Edomites, and subduing them, and putting garrisons in the land, 2 Samuel 8:14 . and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain : the Israelites that fell in battle, or whom the Edomites afterwards, through stratagem and surprise, fell upon in their garrisons and destroyed, and which caused Joab to go thither to bury them, and take vengeance on the Edomites for it; or these were the Edomites slain by... read more
For six months did Joab remain with all Israel ,.... With the whole army: until he had cut off every male in Edom ; as he supposed; for it was not fact, since after this they increased again, and became a powerful people, and had a king over them, and revolted from Judah, 2 Kings 8:20 . read more
That Hadad fled ,.... While Joab was burying the slain: he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him ; who either was a king, and these some of his officers and courtiers; or however was of the royal family, and had an equipage, and these some of them: to go into Egypt ; that was their view at first setting out, where they might hope for help, at least shelter: Hadad being yet a little child ; whom his father's servants hid, while Joab was making the slaughter he... read more
And they arose out of Midian ,.... A country which lay in their way to Egypt, and where it seems they made some stay, and then departed: and came to Paran ; near to which was a wilderness of the same name, in which the Israelites wandered when they came out of Egypt, and which lay between Edom and Egypt: and they took men with them out of Paran ; either as guides and guards through the wilderness, or to make the better appearance before Pharaoh, and that they might meet with the... read more
And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh ,.... Perhaps for his comely personage, princely qualities, and good behaviour, as he grew up: so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen ; it seems the kings of Egypt used to marry their favourites to great personages; see Genesis 41:45 . read more
And the sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son ,.... Which signifies "stealth", and the name might be given in memory of himself being carried away by stealth from his own land: whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house : who was so fond of the child, that she took it, and weaned it for her in the king's palace: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh ; brought up among them, as if he was one of them. read more
And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers ,.... Was dead and buried, as the death of princes is soon known in other countries, and especially a king of such fame as David: and that Joab the captain of the host was dead : whose name might be terrible to Hadad, because of the slaughter of men he had made in his country: Hadad said unto Pharaoh, let me depart, that I may go to mine own country ; with a view and an hope to recover it, now David and Joab were dead. read more
Then Pharaoh said unto him, but what hast thou lacked with me ,.... Either of an equipage suitable to his birth and marriage, or of provisions for his household, or of honour and respect, or of any favour from him: that, behold, thou seekest to go into thine own country ? as if not well used where he was, or would be better provided for there: and he answered, nothing ; he wanted nothing at all, had all he could wish for: howbeit, let me go in any wise : he had such an extreme... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 11:14-25
While Solomon kept closely to God and to his duty there was no adversary nor evil occurrent (1 Kgs. 5:4), nothing to create him any disturbance or uneasiness in the least; but here we have an account of two adversaries that appeared against him, inconsiderable, and that could not have done any thing worth taking notice of if Solomon had not first made God his enemy. What hurt could Hadad or Rezon have done to so great and powerful a king as Solomon was if he had not, by sin, made himself mean... read more