Hadad

Hadad was a boy when he ran for his life. After Joab had “cut off every male in Edom”, the young prince fled with servants to Egypt, where Pharaoh favoured him and gave him a wife from the queen’s own family (1 Kings 11:15-19). When he heard that David and Joab were dead, he asked leave to go home. The text says the LORD “stirred up an adversary unto Solomon” in him, and that he “was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon”. Another Hadad, a king of Edom, is named in Genesis 36:35.

11 verses

Genesis

Genesis 36:35

And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith.

1 Kings

1 Kings 11:14

And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.

1 Kings 11:15

For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;

1 Kings 11:16

(For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom:)

1 Kings 11:17

That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child.

1 Kings 11:18

And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land.

1 Kings 11:19

And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.

1 Kings 11:20

And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh.

1 Kings 11:21

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 mine own country.

1 Kings 11:22

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 let me go in any wise.

1 Kings 11:25

And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Adod, brave(?), the name of a Syrian god. (1.) An Edomite king who defeated the Midianites (Gen. 36:35; 1 Chr. 1:46).

(2.) Another Edomite king (1 Chr. 1:50, 51), called also Hadar (Gen. 36:39; 1 Chr. 1:51).

(3.) One of “the king’s seed in Edom.” He fled into Egypt, where he married the sister of Pharaoh’s wife (1 Kings 11:14-22). He became one of Solomon’s adversaries.

Hadad, sharp, (a different name in Hebrew from the preceding), one of the sons of Ishmael (1 Chr. 1:30). Called also Hadar (Gen. 25:15).

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(mighty), originally the indigenous appellation of the sun among the Syrians, and thence transferred to the king as the highest of earthly authorities. The title appears to have been an official one, like Pharaoh. It is found occasionally in the altered form Hadar. (Genesis 25:15; 36:39) compared with 1Chr 1:30,50

(1.) Son of Ishmael. (Genesis 25:15; 1 Chronicles 1:30)

(2.) A king of Edom who gained an important victory over the Midianites on the field of Moab. (Genesis 36:35; 1 Chronicles 1:46)

(3.) Also a king of Edom, with Pau for his capital. (1 Chronicles 1:50)

(4.) A member of the royal house Or Edom. (1 Kings 11:14) ff. In his childhood he escaped the massacre under Joab, and fled with a band of followers into Egypt. Pharaoh, the predecessor of Solomon’s father-in-law, treated him kindly, and gave him his sister-in-law in marriage. After David’s death Hadad resolved to attempt the recovery of his dominion. He left Egypt and returned to his own country.