1 Kings 11 15

1 Kings 11:15 kjv

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;

1 Kings 11:15 nkjv

For it happened, when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury the slain, after he had killed every male in Edom

1 Kings 11:15 niv

Earlier when David was fighting with Edom, Joab the commander of the army, who had gone up to bury the dead, had struck down all the men in Edom.

1 Kings 11:15 esv

For when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army went up to bury the slain, he struck down every male in Edom

1 Kings 11:15 nlt

Years before, David had defeated Edom. Joab, his army commander, had stayed to bury some of the Israelite soldiers who had died in battle. While there, they killed every male in Edom.

1 Kings 11 verses

1 Kings 11 15 Meaning

This verse serves as a crucial flashback, explaining the historical origins of Hadad the Edomite, one of the adversaries God raised against King Solomon due to Solomon's idolatry. It recalls a brutal period during King David's reign when his general, Joab, conducted a devastating military campaign in Edom, resulting in the slaughter of virtually every male inhabitant. This context establishes the deep-seated animosity Hadad harbored against Israel, setting the stage for his later opposition to Solomon.

1 Kings 11 15 Context

This verse functions as a vital historical explanatory note within the broader narrative of King Solomon's spiritual decline. 1 Kings chapter 11 opens with a detailed account of Solomon's unfaithfulness to the Lord, primarily through marrying numerous foreign women who turned his heart to their pagan gods. This blatant violation of the divine covenant deeply angered the Lord (1 Kgs 11:9-10), leading to God's decree that He would tear the kingdom away from Solomon, though not in his lifetime for the sake of David, his father (1 Kgs 11:11-13).

As a direct consequence of Solomon's apostasy, God raises adversaries against him, signaling the beginning of the end for the united kingdom. Hadad the Edomite is introduced as the first such adversary in 1 Kings 11:14. Verse 15 immediately follows, providing the necessary historical backdrop for Hadad's deep-seated resentment and his motivation to oppose Solomon. It casts back to the height of David's reign, when Israel's dominion was at its peak and Edom, a traditional enemy, was utterly subjugated through a brutal campaign. This complete subjugation and the massacre of Edomite males established a grievance that persisted for generations, ultimately providing fertile ground for Hadad to become an instrument of divine judgment against Solomon.

1 Kings 11 15 Word analysis

• For it came about: The Hebrew word `kî` (כִּי) often functions as a causal or explanatory particle, here introducing the reason or background for Hadad's deep-seated enmity mentioned in the preceding verse. `Bihyot` (בִּהְיֹ֣ות), "when it was/in the being of," sets the historical timeframe.
• when David was in Edom: This phrase refers to David's military presence and decisive victory over Edom, a region southeast of Judah and a long-standing rival of Israel. This detail emphasizes that the events occurred during the height of Israelite power under David.
• and Joab: `Yôʾāḇ` (יֹואָב) was David's seasoned and ruthless commander-in-chief, known for his military prowess and willingness to execute harsh commands, making him the ideal figure to carry out such a brutal campaign.
• the commander of the army: `Śar-haṣṣābāʾ` (שַׂר־הַצָּבָ֔א) identifies Joab's high military rank, indicating that these were official and extensive military operations.
• had gone up to bury the slain: The phrase `ʿal-ləqabbēr ʾeṯ-haḥălālîm` (עַל־לְקַבֵּ֥ר אֶת־הַחֲלָלִֽים) could imply various things. "Slain" (חֲלָלִים) refers to dead bodies. This could mean burying Israelite casualties of the campaign, or it could mean disposing of the Edomite dead. Given the following phrase "struck down every male," it is likely a grim part of consolidating control and cleaning up the battlefield after a thorough massacre of the enemy, potentially removing the remnants of resistance.
• and had struck down every male in Edom: `Hikkāh kōl-zāḵār baʾĕḏōwm` (הִכָּ֤ה כָל־זָכָר֙ בֶּאֱדֹֽום). `Hikkāh` (הִכָּה) is "he struck down," implying a systematic and complete annihilation. `Kōl-zāḵār` (כָל־זָכָר) means "every male." This severe measure was a common practice in ancient Near Eastern warfare for subjugating or eradicating a resistant population, particularly to eliminate future heirs and leadership and to prevent rebellion. This level of violence explains the intense hatred of Hadad and future Edomites toward Israel, serving as a bitter legacy of the conquest.

• Word Group Analysis:
• "For it came about, when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army": This initial clause functions as a historical marker, pointing to a past event during David's undisputed dominion, establishing the context for the devastation and introducing Joab as the instrument of that devastation. It sets a chronological and contextual stage.
• "had gone up to bury the slain, and had struck down every male in Edom": These two phrases detail the ruthlessness and thoroughness of Joab's military campaign. "Burying the slain" indicates a complete mop-up operation after battle, while "struck down every male" underscores the genocidal or near-genocidal intent, aimed at preventing any future uprising by eliminating the male lineage. This comprehensive destruction explains why the escape of Hadad was so significant and why his eventual opposition to Solomon was an act of both personal vengeance and nationalistic resistance. This action sown in David's time bears fruit as divine judgment in Solomon's reign.

1 Kings 11 15 Bonus section

• The strategic importance of Edom, located along vital trade routes, meant its control was crucial for the Israelite kingdom's prosperity. This made David's conquest significant not just militarily but economically.
• This passage implicitly draws a contrast between David's military actions, which brought security and consolidated the kingdom (though often harsh), and Solomon's actions, where his compromises led to the kingdom's fragmentation. David’s military prowess in extending Israel’s territory laid the foundation for the peace Solomon initially enjoyed.
• The detail of Hadad's flight (following verses) shows that even in what appears to be total devastation, God sovereignly allows for exceptions, shaping the circumstances to fulfill His purposes. Hadad’s survival was part of God’s larger plan.

1 Kings 11 15 Commentary

1 Kings 11:15 provides a stark background to Hadad the Edomite's role as God's adversary against Solomon. It vividly recounts Joab's ruthless campaign during David's reign, where the subjugation of Edom included the extermination of its male population. This historical event illustrates God's sovereign hand, using past human actions and their resulting deep-seated animosities (Hadad's desire for revenge) as instruments of judgment against Solomon's idolatry. The verse shows that even in the midst of David's victories, the seeds of future divine consequences were being sown, preparing the way for adversaries to be raised by the Lord Himself, thereby linking human history directly to God's disciplinary actions upon His covenant people.