The Edomites, descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob, are a significant group in biblical history. Among the notable figures within the Edomite lineage is Hadad, a name associated with several individuals in the Old Testament. The Edomites, residing in the region of Seir, were often in conflict with the Israelites, reflecting the tumultuous relationship between Esau and Jacob.

Hadad the Edomite

One of the most prominent figures named Hadad is Hadad the Edomite, who appears during the reign of King Solomon. After David's military campaigns against Edom, Hadad, a member of the royal family, fled to Egypt as a child. The narrative of Hadad is found in 1 Kings 11:14-22. The Berean Standard Bible recounts:

"Then the LORD raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom. Earlier, when David was in Edom, Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury the dead, and he had struck down every male in Edom. Joab and all Israel had stayed there for six months, until he had killed every male in Edom. But Hadad fled to Egypt, along with some Edomites from his father’s servants. Hadad was a small boy at the time. They set out from Midian and went to Paran. Then taking men from Paran with them, they went to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house, land, and food."

Hadad found favor with Pharaoh, who provided him with refuge and even gave him a wife, the sister of Queen Tahpenes. This alliance with Egypt highlights the political dynamics of the time, as Egypt was a significant power and often interacted with the nations surrounding Israel.

Upon hearing of David's death and the subsequent reign of Solomon, Hadad sought to return to his homeland to reclaim his position and challenge Israelite dominance. His return to Edom marked a period of unrest for Solomon, as Hadad became one of the adversaries raised by God to oppose Solomon due to his turning away from the LORD.

Hadad as a Deity

The name Hadad is also associated with a storm and fertility god worshiped in the ancient Near East, particularly in Syria and Mesopotamia. This deity, often equated with Baal, was revered by various Semitic peoples, including the Arameans. The worship of Hadad as a god underscores the syncretism and religious influences that permeated the region, affecting even the Edomites.

Other References to Hadad

In addition to Hadad the Edomite, the name appears in genealogical records and lists of kings. Genesis 36:35 mentions a Hadad who succeeded Husham as king of Edom, and 1 Chronicles 1:46-50 provides a similar account. These references indicate the recurrence of the name Hadad within the Edomite royal lineage, suggesting its significance and possibly its divine connotations.

The Edomites, through figures like Hadad, played a crucial role in the biblical narrative, often serving as instruments of divine judgment or as reminders of the complex relationships between Israel and its neighbors. The account of Hadad the Edomite, in particular, illustrates the enduring enmity between the descendants of Esau and Jacob, a theme that resonates throughout the Old Testament.1 Kings 11:14,19
And the LORD stirred up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Book 5 Footnotes
... by public prayer, is here very remarkable, as indeed ... length for the good of the persons
punished, I ... great victory over the Idameans or Edomites, the posterity ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 5 footnotes.htm

Chapter xxv
... Since Nabataean names of persons, or Sabaean like these ... Arabian Cushites on the south;
the Edomites, Moabites, etc ... in behalf of." It is remarkable, indeed, that ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxv.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... those regions; the inhabitants in that case would have been Edomites and Midianites ...
gold, which they lavished on the decoration of their persons: their chiefs ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... of their gods known to us, Hadad, was a ... revenues, and throughout his reign displayed
remarkable energy ... Bagdad, and in which fifteen thousand persons lost their ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

And ii.
... to which passage, even in the time before Moses, the Edomitic king, Hadad, smote
Midian ... near." It may be that Bozrah was conquered by the Edomites and Moabites ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chap i and ii.htm

Who were the Edomites? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of Edom in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who/what is Edom (Obadiah 1:1, 8)? | GotQuestions.org

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