1 Kings 11:14

GOD RAISED UP HADAD AS SOLOMON'S ADVERSARY

"And Jehovah raised up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom. For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, and had smitten every male in Edom (for Judah and all Israel remained there six months, until he had cut off every male in Edom); that Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go to Egypt, Hadad being yet a little child. And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran, and they came to Egypt unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land. And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house; and Genubath was in Pharaoh's house among the sons of Pharaoh. And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to my own country. Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country? And he answered, Nothing: howbeit only let me depart."

David and Joab had wrought terrible and near-complete destruction upon the Edomites, but the little child Hadad escaped to Egypt and retained in his heart a bitterness against Israel that would never terminate.

"Every male in Edom" (1 Kings 11:16). This, of course, is hyperbole. They destroyed all the men they could find. "As Hadad and his company did (1 Kings 11:17), others escaped in various directions. Edom was not destroyed on that occasion."[14]

"Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh" (1 Kings 11:19). This man who hated Israel and ruled in Edom would prove to be a powerful enemy of Israel. It was only the providence of God that prompted Pharaoh to grant such wonderful favors to this potential enemy of Solomon. It would appear that the Pharaoh whose daughter was married to Solomon had, at this time, been succeeded by another.