Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 11:23
And God stirred him up [another] adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:
23 25. Another adversary raised up against Solomon (Not in Chronicles)
23. And God stirred him up another adversary ] R.V. raised up, as in 1Ki 11:14. There it is said ‘the Lord (i.e. Jehovah)’ raised up the adversary; here it is ‘God (Elohim)’ who does it. There are some who see in this variation an indication of two different sources for the text, the earlier using ‘Elohim,’ the later ‘Jehovah.’ Such an interchange might well be found in a text written even in the days of Solomon, much more so, at the date when this narrative was set down, and is much too slender a thread of evidence to hang so serious a judgement upon.
Rezon the son of Eliadah ] The latter name should be written Eliada (as R.V.). There is nothing more known with certainty about this Rezon. The events to which allusion is made in this verse are related 2Sa 8:3-8. There Hadadezer is called ‘the son of Rehob.’ He was thoroughly defeated by David, who thereupon put garrisons in Syria of Damascus. It cannot therefore have been immediately after the overthrow of Hadadezer that Rezon and his party established themselves in Damascus. For a time, at all events (2Sa 8:6), ‘the Syrians became servants to David and brought gifts.’ Rezon most likely escaped when his master was defeated, and waited till a convenient opportunity offered, and then tried, as here narrated, to establish himself as king over Syria. Henceforth for centuries Syria was the determined foe of Israel. In a later chapter (1Ki 15:18) Benhadad, a subsequent king of Syria, in Asa’s time, is described as a grandson of Hezion. The name Hezion is not very unlike Rezon in the characters of the original. Hence some have conjectured that they are the same person. But there seems no sufficient foundation for the opinion.
fled from his lord ] This flight may have taken place before David’s attack on Hadadezer, though what has been said in the previous note seems more probable.
king of Zobah ] This kingdom is mentioned in the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon, but then is heard of no more. It comprised the country east of Cle-Syria, and extended northward and eastward towards the Euphrates. See 1Sa 14:47 ; 2Sa 8:3; 2Sa 23:36; 1Ch 18:3 ; 1Ch 19:6; 2Ch 8:3.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Rezon – Possibly the same as the Hezion of 1Ki 15:18; but probably one who interrupted the royal line of the Damascene Hadads, which was restored after his death. We may arrange the Damascus-kings of this period as follows:
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Hadadezer (or Hadad I), about 1040 B.C. (conquered by David).
Rezon (usurper) was contemporary with Solomon.
Hezion (Hadad II) was contemporary with Rehoboam.
Tabrimon (Hadad III) was contemporary with Abijam.
Ben-hadad (Hadad IV) was contemporary with Asa.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 23. Rezon the son of Eliadah] Thus God fulfilled his threatening by the prophet Nathan: If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men; 2Sa 7:14.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
When David had defeated him: see 2Sa 10:10, &c.
Zobah; a part of Syria between Damascus and Euphrates; of which see 1Sa 14:47; 2Ch 8:3; Psa 60:1.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And God stirred him up another adversary,…. One from the north, as the other was from the south:
Rezon, the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah: when David fought with him; and this man seeing the battle go against his master, and that he was like to be worsted, deserted him and fled, see 2Sa 8:3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
C. THE REBELLION OF REZON 11:2325
TRANSLATION
(23) And God raised up to him an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, who had fled from Hadadezer king of Zobah, his lord. (24) And he gathered around him men and became captain of a band, after David slew them (of Zobah); and they fled to Damascus, and dwelled therein, and they ruled over Damas cus. (25) And he became an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the evil which Hadad did; and he loathed Israel and ruled over Aram.
COMMENTS
The second adversary raised up by God against Solomon was Rezon,[308] an Aramean who established himself in Damascus. It would appear that during the reign of David, Damascus was part of the Aramean kingdom of Zobah. The city fell under Israelite control when David inflicted a crushing defeat on Hadadezer of Zobah (2Sa. 8:3-12; 2Sa. 10:6-19). Either just before or just after this battle with David, Rezon deserted his master Hadadezer (1Ki. 11:23). The stages of Rezons rise to power are indicated in 1Ki. 11:24. From being the adventurous chief of a roving gang, he rose to the position of leader of a group of warriors who advanced on Damascus, captured and settled in that city, and finally established themselves as the ruling power. According to 1Ki. 11:25, the entire country of Aram eventually recognized Rezon as their king.
[308] Some scholars feel that Rezon is a variant of Hezion who appears to be the founder of the Damascus dynasty in IS: 18. Others think Hezion was the proper name of this king and Rezon was his title. Still others assume that after Rezon, Hezion founded a new dynasty in Damascus. See Unger, IA, p. 57; and Mazar, BAR, II, 13334.
It is not certain at what point in the reign of Solomon Rezon took control of Damascus. On the whole it seems best to assign this event to the late period of Solomons reign when his rule weakened and the state was disintegrating internally and externally.[309] In any case, the text gives no indication that the pacific Solomon made any attempt to thwart Rezon. Thus Solomon was faced with opposition simultaneously on the northern and southern frontiers of his empire (1Ki. 11:25). The phrase all the days of Solomon may refer to the time after the king had sinned and set up gods for his foreign wives. On the other hand, the author may mean that even before Rezon became king of Damascus he was a dangerous adversary as a roving bandit on the borders of Israel.
[309] Mazar, BAR, II, 133.
What is recorded here appears to be nothing less than the founding of the powerful Aramean kingdom of Damascus, which was destined to be the most formidable rival and enemy of Israel during the next two centuries. Rezons continued harassments and his increasing power toward the later years of Solomons reign threatened to disrupt Israelite control of the Aramean states. Shortly after the close of Solomons reign, probably in conjunction with Jeroboams revolt and the invasion of Pharaoh Shishak, Israel lost all control of these northern territories.[310]
[310] Bright, HI, p. 211.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(23) Rezon the son of Eliadah.The name Rezon, which is not unlike the Rezin of 2 Kings 16, appears to signify prince, and might naturally mark the founder of a new power. In 1Ki. 20:18 we read of a Hezion, king of Damascus, who would belong to this generation, and may be identical with Rezon. The tradition quoted by Josephus (Ant. vii. 5, 2) from Nicolaus of Damascus, that for ten generations from the days of David, all the kings of Syria bore the name of Hadad, probably means only that the title Hadad was the official title of the monarchy.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
23. Rezon What office or position under Hadadezer he held, to what particular part of his dominions he belonged, or what instigated his revolt from his lord, does not clearly appear. Possibly he belonged to that “border at the river Euphrates,” which revolted from the king of Zobah while he went to assist the Ammonites. See 2Sa 8:3; 2Sa 10:6, and notes there.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 11:23. Rezon, the son of Eliadah When David made war against Hadadezer, Rezon, one of his generals, escaped from the field of battle with the troops under his command; and, having lived for a little while by plunder and robbery, at length seized on Damascus, and reigned there. But his reign was not long, for David took Damascus as well as the other parts of Syria, and left it in subjection to his son Solomon; till God was pleased to suffer this Rezon to recover Damascus, and there re-establish himself; whence, uniting in league with Hadad, he greatly disturbed the latter part of Solomon’s reign. Houbigant translates the 25th verse, he therefore, while Solomon lived, was perpetually an adversary to Israel; while in the mean time Hadad vexed and laid Israel waste, for he reigned in Edom.
REFLECTIONS.Peace and plenty had for a time, with uninterrupted streams, flowed in upon the pious Solomon: but when he exchanged his wisdom for folly, and his piety for profaneness, then the current of his mercies was stayed, and God began to afflict him. Sin and suffering usually go linked together.
God stirred up adversaries against him, foreign and domestic, to avenge his quarrel, and to be a scourge for his sins. Note; The instruments that God uses, often mean only their own ambition, but he directs them to fulfil his purposes, and makes them subservient to his glory.
1. Hadad, the Edomite. At the beginning of Solomon’s reign, he longed to return to his native country, which Pharaoh, though with great reluctance, granted; there he seems to have continued in secret, engaging the people in his favour, till now Solomon’s sin gave him an opportunity to declare himself, and, though the mischief he did is not mentioned, he became, it is plain, a very troublesome neighbour. Note; (1.) The weakest instruments in God’s hands can soon grow strong enough to be our bitter scourge. (2.) Like Hadad, the believer, though enjoying every thing on earth that his heart can wish, yet sighs for home, and saith, O that I had wings like a dove, for then would I flee away to my eternal rest, in the bosom of Jesus!
2. Rezon was another enemy. Now towards the end of Solomon’s reign, when his wickedness made him weak, seizing Damascus, he fixed there the seat of his kingdom. The remembrance of his former sufferings sharpened his resentment: he abhorred Solomon and Israel, and, in concert with Hadad, continued to harass and disturb them. Note; When God resolves to chastise, he will not want a rod.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
(23) And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah: (24) And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus. (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.
Observe, that though both Hadad, as one of the seed of Edom, and Rezon, the Syrian, were alike natural foes to Israel; yet it is the Lord’s hand that is here pointed out as raising them up. Yes! the devil and all his host, though sworn foes against God, and his Christ, can wage no war while the Lord restrains. Oh! it is proper in all our visitations humbly to enquire of the Lord concerning the affliction that, as Job saith, we may say unto God, show me wherefore thou contendest with me, That which I see not, teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. Job 11:2 ; and Job 34:32 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Ki 11:23 And God stirred him up [another] adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:
Ver. 23. And God stirred him up, &c. ] See on 1Ki 11:14 .
Which fled from his lord Hadadezer.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
God: 1Ki 11:14, 2Sa 16:11, Ezr 1:1, Isa 13:17, Isa 37:26, Isa 45:5, Eze 38:16
Hadadezer: 2Sa 8:3, 2Sa 10:8, 2Sa 10:15-18, 1Ch 18:3-9, 1Ch 19:6, 1Ch 19:16-19, Hadarezer, Psa 60:1, *title
Reciprocal: 1Sa 14:47 – Zobah 2Sa 8:5 – And when 1Ki 15:18 – Damascus 1Ch 18:5 – the Syrians 2Ch 8:3 – Hamathzobah 2Ch 21:16 – the Lord 2Ch 36:22 – the Lord stirred Jer 51:11 – the Lord hath
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 11:23-24. Which fled from his lord Hadadezer When David had defeated him. King of Zobah A part of Syria, between Damascus and Euphrates. And he gathered men unto him Some of those that fled when David defeated Hadadezer, 2Sa 10:18. And became captain over a band Who listed themselves under him as their commander, with others, who readily joined them, and lived by robbery, as many Arabians did. And they went to Damascus And took it while Solomon was wallowing in luxury: David had put a garrison into Damascus, and brought the people under tribute, 2Sa 8:5-6; and so they probably continued during his life, and were subject to Solomon after his death, till that prince, doting upon strange women, minded not the defence of his conquests. This Rezon took advantage of, and invaded and got possession of Damascus, and reigned there, as Hadad did in Edom.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
11:23 And God stirred him up [another] adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which {m} fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:
(m) When David had defeated Hadadezer and his army.