1 Kings 11:25

all the days of Solomon Probably Rezon was able to establish himself in Damascus even before the death of David. For some time he would be obliged to collect his strength to be ready for future attacks on Israel, but he may well have been a source of anxiety to Solomon from the first. Damascus was near enough, and a band of men such as those who supported Rezon would make a constant thorn for Solomon's side, even though they attempted no regular warfare.

beside the mischief that Hadaddid] This sentence can only be thus translated. There is a similar rendering of the like Hebrew ואת in 1 Kings 11:1 -together with" the daughter of Pharaoh (marg. R.V. -besides"). But it is very questionable whether this can be so rendered. The LXX. (Vat.) which omits 23, 24, and great part of the present verse renders as if, for ואת, they had read זאת = this. See the LXX. variations above, in note on 1 Kings 11:22. These make the whole passage refer not to Rezon but to Hadad, and in consequence the word Syria, ארם, i.e. Aram, is changed into אדם, Edom, and it is certain that we do expect to hear more of the mischief which Hadad wrought. All we are told is that he got permission to come back to Edom. But we hear no word of any armament or invasion by him.

and he abhorred Israel Though he had deserted Hadadezer this was no reason why he should side with the Israelitish invaders. They had driven him and his troop into the wilderness and no harm which he could work upon them would be left undone. This is just the sort of opponent who might worry Solomon for a long time without being deemed serious, but who might before the end of Solomon's reign, in the period of that king's unwise yielding to his wives, become really a dangerous adversary. With Hadad in the south and Rezon on the north, each growing daily stronger, the crippling of Solomon's power was effectually begun.