Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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;
15. when David was in Edom ] The time alluded to is the period of David’s conquests (2Sa 8:14), when it is said that all Edom became his servants. The LXX. says ‘when David destroyed Edom,’ which was perhaps the fact, as this verse shews, but is not stated in the earlier history. He conquered the land, and put garrisons of his own men throughout it.
and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain ] On Joab, see 1Ki 1:7. The slain were the Israelites who had fallen in David’s war with Edom. To bury these the captain of the host was appointed, and he abode after that work was over, till all were cut off, or driven away, from whom there could be any fear of resistance.
after he had smitten every male in Edom ] This can only mean, as just stated, those persons who were likely to rebel against Israel. The narrative in 2Sa 8:14 implies that those who submitted were left, and put under tribute to Israel.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The verse gives certain additional particulars of Davids conquest of Edom (marginal references). Joab was left, or sent, to complete the subjugation of the country, with orders to exterminate all the grown male inhabitants. It was not very often that David acted with any extreme severity in his wars; but he may have considered himself justified by policy, as he certainly was by the letter of the Law Deu 20:13, in adopting this fierce course against Edom.
Was in Edom – Or, according to another reading, smote Edom.
The slain – Probably the Israelites who had fallen in the strnggle. Translate, when … Joab was gone up to bury the slain, and had smitten every male, etc.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. Was gone up to bury the slain] The slain Edomites; for Joab had in the course of six months exterminated all the males, except Hadad and his servants, who escaped to Egypt. Instead of bury the slain, the Targum has to take the spoils of the slain.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
When David was in Edom, to wit, by his army, to war against it. See 1Ch 18:12,13.
To bury the slain, to wit, the Israelites which were slain in the battle, 2Sa 8:13,14, whom he honourably inferred in some certain place, to which he is said to go up for that end. And this may be mentioned as that which gave Hadad the opportunity of making his escape, whilst Joab and his men were employed in that solemnity.
After he had smitten every male in Edom; or, and he smote, &c., as it is in the Hebrew; which is here noted as the cause of Hadads flight, he smote, &c. He understood what Joab had done in part, and intended further to do, even to kill all the males, and therefore fled for his life.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
For it came to pass, when David was in Edom,…. Fighting with the Edomites, and subduing them, and putting garrisons in the land, 2Sa 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 David and Joab; and it has been always reckoned a piece of humanity to bury the dead of an enemy, and is to the honour of the conqueror, see
Eze 39:12 or to suffer the enemy to bury them themselves: it is said o, that Hercules was the first that brought up this practice, and that before they were left on the field, to be devoured by dogs; so they were in the times of the Trojan war, as appears by the writings of Homer; but burying them, in later times, was used by the Romans p and Greeks; and Josephus q delivers it as a law of Moses to bury enemies, and not suffer any dead to lie without partaking of the earth, nor to pass by or overlook any unburied; but from whence he took it, or grounds it upon, is not very evident; this is the first mention of it; though the Targum is,
“to strip the slain:”
after he had smitten every male in Edom; as he thought, intending to root out the name of them; being enraged at their falling upon the garrisons, if that was the case.
o Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 12. c. 27. p Liv. Hist. l. 39. c. 21. Vid. Kirchman. Append. ad. lib. de Funer. Roman. c. 3, 4, & 5. q Antiqu. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 24. contr. Apion. l. 2. c. 29.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(15) The war here described is briefly noted, with some differences of detail, in 2Sa. 8:12-14, 1Ch. 18:11-13, and Psalms 60 (title and 1Ki. 11:8). It is there closely connected with the great struggle with the Syrians, and the victory is ascribed in one record to Joab, in the other to Abishai. Here David himself is described as taking part in the warperhaps completing the conquest, as in the war with Ammon, after it had been successfully begun by Joab (2Sa. 12:26-31). (Instead of David was in Edom, the LXX. and other versions read David destroyed Edom, by a slight variation of the Hebrew text.) The war was evidently one of ruthless extermination of every male, except those who fled the country, or found refuge in its rocky fastnesses, and was carried on by systematic ravage under the command of Joab. How it was provoked we do not know; for we have no previous notice of Edom since the time of the Exodus, except a reference to war against it in the days of Saul (1Sa. 14:47).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. When David was in Edom See 2Sa 8:13-14, and notes there.
We bury the slain The slain Israelites who fell in the Edomite war. From 1Ch 18:12, it would seem that Abishai, Joab’s brother, had chief command in the great battle that was fought in the Valley of Salt, and which resulted in the slaughter of eighteen thousand Edomites. Doubtless many an Israelite perished in this battle; and Joab, rather than Abishai, took charge of their burial.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 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;
Ver. 15. When David was in Edom. ] See 2Sa 8:14 , See Trapp on “ 2Sa 8:14 “
To bury the slain.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
it came to pass, &c. Compare 2Sa 8:3-13. Joab. Compare Psa 60, title, and see note on 2Sa 8:13.
every male: i.e. who did not flee, as Hadad did. Supply Figure of speech Ellipsis (App-6), “every male [whom he found] in Edom”. See 1Ki 11:17.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
when David: 2Sa 8:14, 1Ch 18:12, 1Ch 18:13, Psa 60:1, *title Psa 108:10
after he had: Gen 25:23, Gen 27:40, Num 24:18, Num 24:19, Deu 20:13, Mal 1:2, Mal 1:3
every male: Num 31:17
Reciprocal: Gen 27:29 – be lord Num 31:7 – all
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 11:15-17. When David was in Edom By his army to war against it; and Joab was gone up to bury the slain The Israelites who were slain in the battle, (2Sa 8:13-14,) whom he honourably interred in some certain place, to which he is said to go up for that end. And this gave Hadad the opportunity of making his escape, while Joab and his men were all employed in the solemnity. After he had smitten, &c. Or, and he smote, as it is in the Hebrew: which is here observed as the cause of Hadads flight; he understood what Joab had done in part, and intended further to do, even to kill all the males, and therefore fled for his life. With all Israel That is, with all his army. Until he had cut off every male That bore arms; for it is hardly to be thought that they cut off all the male children and youths. That Hadad fled While Joab was busy in giving a solemn burial to the Israelites, certain Edomites took the opportunity to carry Hadad into Egypt.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
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 {i} slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;
(i) Of the Edomites.