1 Kings 11:14-25
Enemies Rise against Solomon
14Then the LORD raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom.
15Earlier, when David was in Edom, Joab the commander of the army had gone to bury the dead and had struck down every male in Edom.
16Joab and all Israel had stayed there six months, until he had killed every male in Edom.
17But Hadad, still just a young boy, had fled to Egypt, along with some Edomites who were servants of his father.
18Hadad and his men set out from Midian and went to Paran. They took men from Paran with them and went to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house and land and provided him with food.
19There Hadad found such great favor in the sight of Pharaoh that he gave to him in marriage the sister of Queen Tahpenes, his own wife.
20And the sister of Tahpenes bore Hadad a son named Genubath. Tahpenes herself weaned him in Pharaoh’s palace, and Genubath lived there among the sons of Pharaoh.
21When Hadad heard in Egypt that David had rested with his fathers and that Joab, the commander of the army, was dead, he said to Pharaoh, “Let me go, that I may return to my own country.”
22But Pharaoh asked him, “What have you lacked here with me that you suddenly want to go back to your own country?” “Nothing,” Hadad replied, “but please let me go.”
23And God raised up against Solomon another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah,
24and had gathered men to himself. When David killed the Zobaites, Rezon captained a band of raiders and went to Damascus, where they settled and gained control.
25Rezon was Israel’s enemy throughout the days of Solomon, adding to the trouble caused by Hadad. So Rezon ruled over Aram with hostility toward Israel.
Berean Standard Bible
The LORD raises adversaries against Solomon. Hadad the Edomite survives Joab's earlier campaign and returns to Edom after growing up in Egypt. Rezon escapes from his master and becomes leader of a band of men before taking Damascus and becoming an enemy of Israel.
The details connect present trouble to earlier violence and political upheaval. Hadad's hatred is personal and national, while Rezon's opposition grows out of rebellion and opportunity. The text does not reduce every adversary to one motive, and we should not invent motives beyond what it says.
Solomon's kingdom has looked secure, but enemies now appear at its edges. The trouble is not random in the narrator's view. It is part of the LORD's response to Solomon's divided heart, even while the book continues to describe the human decisions through which the opposition takes shape.
These figures are not examples for households to imitate when hurt. They show how old violence, displaced people, ambition, and unresolved hostility can return as political danger. A kingdom that appears strong may carry wounds that later become threats.
How We Know
This passage belongs to the historical and prophetic record of Israel's divided kingdom. Its named rulers, places, and prophetic actions are presented as part of that covenant history; Chronicles does not repeat every episode from Kings.
Questions
1 Whom does the LORD raise against Solomon first?
AnswerHe raises Hadad the Edomite, who survived the earlier campaign and returned to Edom after growing up in Egypt.
2 What happens to Rezon?
AnswerRezon escapes, gathers men, takes Damascus, and becomes an adversary from the north who troubles Israel.
3 What does their appearance reveal about Solomon's kingdom?
AnswerIt reveals that the kingdom's outward security can conceal unresolved wounds and opposition growing at its borders.
4 How does the narrator interpret these adversaries?
AnswerHe presents them as part of the LORD's judgment on Solomon while still describing their human choices and histories.
What This Means for Us
Unresolved harm does not disappear because a household looks successful. Old violence, ignored resentment, and unequal power can shape the next crisis even when everyone prefers to call the past settled.
Do not use this passage to label every difficult person a divine enemy. Instead, examine what your household has left unrepaired, seek peace where possible, and take real threats seriously without feeding cycles of retaliation.
Prayer
God of justice, show us the wounds our success may hide. Give us courage to repair what we can, wisdom to address real danger, and restraint so old harm does not become new cruelty. Amen.