And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king’s seed in Edom.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yahweh raised up an adversary to Solomon: Hadad the Edomite. He was one of the king’s offspring in Edom.
- BSB Then the LORD raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom.
- NKJV Now the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was a descendant of the king in Edom.
- NASB Then the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the royal line in Edom.
- NLT Then the Lord raised up Hadad the Edomite, a member of Edom’s royal family, to be Solomon’s adversary.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The LORD raised up Hadad the Edomite as an adversary against Solomon. It shows God beginning to discipline Solomon through external enemies.
Overview
As a consequence of Solomon's sin, God stirred up opposition in Hadad, a survivor of Edom's royal family. The peace that had marked Solomon's reign begins to fray. This verse reveals that God sovereignly raises up adversaries to chasten His people, and that the security Solomon enjoyed depended on a faithfulness he had now abandoned.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 2 Sam 24:1And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
- Isa 10:26And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt.
- 1 Sam 26:19Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.
- Isa 13:17Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.
- 1 Kgs 12:15Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
- 1 Chr 5:26And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.
- 2 Sam 7:14I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
- Isa 10:5O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
- Ps 89:30–34If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 11:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.