1 Kings 11:19 kjv
And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.
1 Kings 11:19 nkjv
And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him as wife the sister of his own wife, that is, the sister of Queen Tahpenes.
1 Kings 11:19 niv
Pharaoh was so pleased with Hadad that he gave him a sister of his own wife, Queen Tahpenes, in marriage.
1 Kings 11:19 esv
And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him in marriage the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.
1 Kings 11:19 nlt
Pharaoh grew very fond of Hadad, and he gave him his wife's sister in marriage ? the sister of Queen Tahpenes.
1 Kings 11 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 28:15-16 | "But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God... cursed shall be you in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field." | Consequences of disobedience |
| Lev 26:14, 17 | "But if you will not listen to Me... I will set My face against you, and you shall be struck down..." | God opposing disobedient people |
| 1 Kgs 11:11-13 | "Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, 'Since this has been your practice... I will surely tear the kingdom from you...' " | God's specific judgment on Solomon |
| 1 Kgs 11:25 | "So Hadad continued to trouble Israel all the days of Solomon, along with the mischief that Rezon did..." | Hadad's ongoing opposition to Solomon |
| Ps 76:10 | "For the wrath of man shall praise you; the remainder of wrath you will restrain." | God's sovereignty over human actions |
| Isa 10:5 | "Ah, Assyria, the rod of My anger; the staff in their hand is My fury!" | God using foreign nations as His instruments |
| Jer 25:9 | "Behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the LORD, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant..." | God's use of pagan kings as servants |
| Rom 9:17 | "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show My power in you...' " | God's sovereign control over rulers' lives |
| Gen 6:8 | "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD." | Example of "finding favor" with God |
| Gen 39:4, 21 | "And Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him... But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison." | Joseph "finding favor" with human masters |
| Exod 3:21 | "And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and when you go, you shall not go empty." | Israelites receiving favor from Egyptians |
| Esth 2:15, 17 | "And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her... and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the other virgins..." | Esther finding favor with the king |
| Prov 3:4 | "So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man." | Finding favor in general |
| Luke 2:52 | "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man." | Jesus also "found favor" |
| Gen 25:23 | "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be separated; the one people shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger." | Genesis of Israel and Edom (Jacob & Esau) |
| Num 20:14-21 | Edom's refusal to allow Israel passage through their land. | Early enmity of Edom toward Israel |
| Obad 1:10, 15 | "Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you... For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you..." | Prophecy against Edom for violence |
| Mal 1:2-3 | " 'Is not Esau Jacob's brother?' declares the LORD. 'Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hills and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness.' " | Edom's judgment and separation from Israel |
| Exod 34:15-16 | "Lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they prostitute themselves to their gods... and you take of their daughters for your sons..." | Warning against foreign alliances/intermarriage |
| Deut 7:3-4 | "You shall not intermarry with them... For they would turn away your sons from following Me, to serve other gods." | Explicit warning against foreign marriages |
| 1 Kgs 11:1-8 | "Now King Solomon loved many foreign women... his wives turned away his heart after other gods..." | Solomon's sin of foreign wives and idolatry |
| Neh 13:23-27 | Nehemiah confronts the people of Judah for intermarrying with foreign women, quoting Deuteronomy. | Reinforcement of ban on foreign marriages |
| Isa 30:1-3 | "Ah, stubborn children, declares the LORD, who carry out a plan, but not Mine... who set out to go down to Egypt... but the protection of Pharaoh shall turn to your shame..." | Warning against seeking help from Egypt |
| Hos 7:11 | "Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense; they call to Egypt; they go to Assyria." | Israel relying on foreign powers, not God |
1 Kings 11 verses
1 Kings 11 19 Meaning
1 Kings 11:19 describes how Hadad the Edomite, an adversary to King Solomon, gained significant influence and standing in Egypt. He found great favor with the reigning Pharaoh, a level of trust and approval so profound that Pharaoh solidified this relationship by giving Hadad his own sister-in-law, the sister of Queen Tahpenes, as his wife. This marital alliance positioned Hadad, a legitimate heir to the Edomite throne, within the powerful Egyptian royal family, enabling him to eventually return and trouble Solomon, as foretold by God due to Solomon's disobedience.
1 Kings 11 19 Context
This verse is situated in 1 Kings chapter 11, a pivotal chapter detailing the unraveling of Solomon's prosperous reign. After decades of unparalleled wisdom, wealth, and peace, Solomon’s heart was led astray by his numerous foreign wives, who encouraged him to worship other gods (1 Kgs 11:1-8). This direct disobedience violated God’s explicit commands and previous warnings. As a consequence, God declared He would tear the kingdom away from Solomon's son, leaving only one tribe (Judah) for David's sake (1 Kgs 11:11-13).
1 Kings 11 then proceeds to list the adversaries God raised up against Solomon. The first, Hadad the Edomite, is introduced. He was of royal Edomite descent and had fled to Egypt as a young boy, escaping Joab’s devastating massacre of Edomite males during David’s conquest (1 Kgs 11:15-16). He was brought up in the Egyptian court, demonstrating Egypt’s regional influence and the strategic practice of harboring potential allies or adversaries for geopolitical maneuvering. Verse 19 specifically highlights the extent of Pharaoh's trust and commitment to Hadad, evidenced by the unique marital alliance. This royal marriage solidified Hadad's position, transforming him from a refugee into a powerful figure, now equipped to return and fulfill his divinely appointed role as an adversary to Solomon, contributing to the instability that would eventually fracture Israel's kingdom.
1 Kings 11 19 Word analysis
- And Hadad: "Hadad" (Hebrew: הֲדַד, Hadad) is an Edomite royal name, also the name of a Syrian/Aramaean storm god. This specific Hadad is a survivor of the Edomite royal lineage, having fled from King David's general Joab's extensive massacre of males in Edom. His re-emergence signals a revival of the ancient animosity between Israel and Edom.
- found great favor: (Hebrew: מָצָא חֵן גָּדֹול, matza chen gadol). The phrase "matza chen" (found favor/grace) is common in the Old Testament, denoting a recipient receiving approval, kindness, or acceptance, often leading to beneficial outcomes. The addition of "gadol" (great) emphasizes the exceptional level of acceptance and influence Hadad attained with Pharaoh, signifying not mere hospitality but significant trust and strategic alliance. This reflects divine providence, as God was preparing this adversary.
- in the sight of Pharaoh: (Hebrew: בְּעֵינֵי פַרְעֹה, be'einei Par'oh). An idiomatic expression meaning "in Pharaoh's judgment" or "Pharaoh looked favorably upon him." It indicates a high level of personal regard and political recognition by the Egyptian king. The unnamed Pharaoh of this era signifies the office and its constant, enduring power, serving God's larger purpose.
- so that he gave him as wife: This act goes beyond simple favor; it represents a formal political alliance through intermarriage, a common ancient Near Eastern practice to cement relationships between royal houses. It demonstrates Pharaoh's commitment to Hadad's future.
- the sister of his own wife: Pharaoh's own sister-in-law. This kinship marriage, tying Hadad directly into the ruling Egyptian dynasty, underscores the depth of Hadad's integration and the status he was afforded. It also suggests that this particular Pharaoh had no son available for Hadad, or he considered his sister-in-law suitable for this purpose.
- Tahpenes the queen: (Hebrew: תַּחְפְּנֵס הַגְּבִירָה, Tachpenes ha-Gevirah). Tahpenes is one of the few named Egyptian queens in the Bible, giving a specific historical flavor. Ha-Gevirah means "the queen" or "the lady," indicating her status as the queen consort, the principal wife of Pharaoh. The prominence given to her title and her sister’s marriage emphasizes the royal prestige of the alliance and Hadad’s elevated position in Egyptian society.
1 Kings 11 19 Bonus section
The anonymity of the Pharaoh in this account is characteristic of many biblical references to Egyptian kings, emphasizing their role as instruments within God's larger narrative rather than highlighting individual identities. This strategic intermarriage not only elevated Hadad but provided him with critical resources and Egyptian political backing, setting the stage for his return to Edom. His rebellion (1 Kgs 11:21-25) against Solomon was thus not a desperate act but one potentially supported by the military and diplomatic strength of Egypt, illustrating the long reach of God's hand in stirring up adversaries. This narrative piece also indirectly contrasts the powerful, established Pharaonic dynasty with the vulnerability of the seemingly secure Solomonic kingdom when its king deviated from divine faithfulness.
1 Kings 11 19 Commentary
1 Kings 11:19 subtly underscores God's sovereign hand in shaping history. While seemingly a human political maneuver—an exiled Edomite prince marrying into the powerful Egyptian royal family—this alliance was divinely orchestrated. Pharaoh's "great favor" was ultimately God's grace or allowance to enable Hadad, fulfilling the Lord's decree to raise up adversaries against Solomon. It's an ironic contrast: Solomon’s own pursuit of foreign alliances and wives (which led to his downfall) now faces an enemy strengthened by the very same mechanism of foreign royal marriage. This strategic placement of Hadad highlights the consequence of disobedience and foreshadows the eventual weakening and division of the United Monarchy, demonstrating that God can use international diplomacy, personal favor, and long-standing rivalries as instruments of His righteous judgment.