1 Kings 11:14

EXPOSITION

SOLOMON 'S ADVERSARIES .—As the historian has collected together in 1 Kings 6:1-38 ; 1 Kings 7:1-51 ; 1 Kings 8:1-66 , all the information he can convey respecting the temple, and in 1 Kings 9:1-28 ; 1 Kings 10:1-29 . all the scattered notices respecting Solomon's power and greatness, so here he arranges in one section the history of Solomon's adversaries . It must not be supposed that the following records stand in due chronological order. The enmities here mentioned did not date from the delivery of the message of which we have just heard; on the contrary, the hatred and opposition of Hadad and Rezon began at an early period, though not the earliest ( 1 Kings 5:4 ), of Solomon's reign. It was only in his later life, however, that they materially affected his position and rule; hence it is that they are brought before us at this stage of the history, and also because they are manifestly regarded as chastisements for Solomon's sin.

And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad [in 1 Kings 11:17 written Adad, אֲדַד . Apparently this, like Pharaoh, was a title rather than a name. And, like Pharaoh, it is said to mean the sun . It was borne by a king of Edom in very early times, Genesis 25:15 ; Genesis 36:35 , Genesis 36:39 (in the latter verse, as in Genesis 25:15 , Hadar is probably a clerical error for Hadad, as the name stands in 1 Chronicles 1:30 , 1 Chronicles 1:50 , and ר being so very much alike. Gesenius, however, contends that Hadar is the true reading), and was also a favourite name with the kings of Syria, especially in the forms Benhadad, Hadadezer] the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.