1 Kings 11:24 kjv
And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus.
1 Kings 11:24 nkjv
So he gathered men to him and became captain over a band of raiders, when David killed those of Zobah. And they went to Damascus and dwelt there, and reigned in Damascus.
1 Kings 11:24 niv
When David destroyed Zobah's army, Rezon gathered a band of men around him and became their leader; they went to Damascus, where they settled and took control.
1 Kings 11:24 esv
And he gathered men about him and became leader of a marauding band, after the killing by David. And they went to Damascus and lived there and made him king in Damascus.
1 Kings 11:24 nlt
and had become the leader of a gang of rebels. After David conquered Hadadezer, Rezon and his men fled to Damascus, where he became king.
1 Kings 11 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 11:14 | "The LORD raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite..." | God raises up an enemy due to Solomon's sin |
| 1 Kgs 11:23 | "God also raised up another adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada..." | Rezon specifically mentioned as God's adversary |
| 1 Kgs 11:9-10 | "And the LORD was angry with Solomon... because he had not kept what the LORD commanded." | God's wrath due to Solomon's apostasy |
| 1 Kgs 11:11 | "Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, 'Since this has been your practice... I will tear the kingdom from you...'" | Direct consequence of Solomon's disobedience |
| 2 Sam 8:3-8 | "David also defeated Hadadezer... from whom David took 1,000 chariots..." | David's defeat of Zobah, context for Rezon's rise |
| 1 Chr 18:3-8 | "David also defeated Hadadezer... and David captured from him 1,000 chariots..." | Parallel account of David's victory |
| Isa 10:5-6 | "Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hand is my fury! Against a godless nation I send him..." | God uses foreign nations as instruments of judgment |
| Hab 1:6 | "For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation..." | God raises up specific nations for His purposes |
| Jer 25:9 | "...behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north... and Nebuchadnezzar... and I will bring them against this land..." | Nebuchadnezzar as God's instrument |
| Deut 28:47-48 | "Because you did not serve the LORD your God... Therefore you shall serve your enemies..." | Covenant warning about foreign enemies as judgment |
| Lev 26:14-17 | "But if you will not listen to me... I will appoint over you a dread, consumption, and fever..." | Warnings about distress for disobedience |
| Judg 2:14-15 | "So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers..." | Similar pattern of judgment through enemies |
| Judg 9:4 | "They gave him [Abimelech] seventy pieces of silver... with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows..." | Forming a lawless band for violent purposes |
| 1 Sam 30:8 | "...Shall I pursue after this raiding band? Shall I overtake them?" | Use of 'raiding band' (g'dud) for plundering |
| Job 1:17 | "The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels..." | 'Bands' (g'dud) referring to predatory groups |
| 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 hand raising individuals for His plan |
| Acts 4:27-28 | "...for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus... to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined..." | God's ultimate sovereignty even over wicked acts |
| Ps 76:10 | "Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will restrain." | God's control over human evil and hostility |
| Prov 16:4 | "The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble." | God's comprehensive purpose for all things, including opposition |
| 1 Kgs 12:15 | "So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD..." | God's orchestration behind events |
| 1 Kgs 11:1 | "Now King Solomon loved many foreign women... these were from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the people of Israel..." | Root cause of Solomon's unfaithfulness leading to judgment |
1 Kings 11 verses
1 Kings 11 24 Meaning
This verse describes Rezon, son of Eliada, as another adversary raised by the Lord against Solomon, in addition to Hadad the Edomite. Rezon capitalized on the chaos that followed David's victory over Zobah, gathering disgruntled men and establishing himself as the leader of a violent, plundering group, eventually reigning over Aram in Damascus. His emergence signifies the breaking of the peace that characterized David's reign and Solomon's early years, directly linking to Solomon's escalating disobedience to God.
1 Kings 11 24 Context
This verse is part of a crucial passage (1 Kings 11:14-40) detailing God's judgment upon King Solomon due to his unfaithfulness, idolatry, and intermarriage with foreign women, which led his heart away from the Lord. After God explicitly informed Solomon that the kingdom would be torn from his hands (1 Kgs 11:11), the narrative introduces three adversaries God "raised up" against him: Hadad the Edomite, Rezon of Aram, and finally Jeroboam, a servant from within his own house, who would inherit ten tribes. Specifically, 1 Kings 11:24 provides the backstory and immediate historical context for Rezon's emergence. It links his rise to the prior period of stability under David's successful military campaigns, where David defeated major regional powers, including Zobah. This past event created the vacuum and opportunity for figures like Rezon to consolidate power, illustrating how God uses past triumphs and their consequences to orchestrate current judgment.
1 Kings 11 24 Word analysis
- and he: Refers to Rezon, introduced in the preceding verse (1 Kgs 11:23) as "Rezon the son of Eliada." This pronoun establishes the continuity of the narrative about God's chosen adversaries.
- gathered men (וַיִּקְבֹּץ אֵלָיו אֲנָשִׁים - wayyiqqōṣ ʾēlāw ʾǎnāšîm): The Hebrew verb qābaṣ (gathered) suggests collecting or assembling. In this context, it implies amassing a group of disaffected individuals, likely those displaced or unsettled by David's conquest of Zobah. This was not a formal, legitimate army sanctioned by a recognized kingdom but rather a disparate group unified by a common cause – in Rezon's case, likely revenge, opportunism, and plunder.
- to himself: Emphasizes that these men pledged allegiance to Rezon personally, forming a force directly under his command, outside established governmental structures.
- and became commander (וַיְהִי שַׂר - wayhi śar): Sar (שַׂר) is a common Hebrew word for chief, prince, or commander. It indicates leadership, but its context with "marauding band" qualifies the nature of that leadership. It denotes a person in charge of an irregular force rather than a formal military general.
- of a marauding band (גְּדוּד - g'dûd): This is a crucial term. G'dûd explicitly refers to a raiding or plundering troop, often associated with hostile, opportunistic incursions for spoils. It signifies an uncontrolled, violent group. This contrasts sharply with the established, divinely sanctioned military of Israel under David or even a structured enemy army. Rezon's power originated from violent lawlessness, which aligns with God using destructive forces to bring judgment. This term sets a polemic against the era of peace under David and Solomon's early rule, revealing the disruption brought by unfaithfulness.
- when David had killed them: This phrase is key to understanding Rezon's historical opportunity. "Them" refers to the army or populace of Hadadezer, king of Zobah, whom David decisively defeated (2 Sam 8:3-8; 1 Chr 18:3-8). David's victory, though part of God's plan for Israel's expansion and security, ironically created a power vacuum and a pool of displaced, resentful people (like Rezon, a former commander of Zobah) who could then be rallied into a rebellious force. This demonstrates God's sovereignty, using the long-term effects of previous divine acts to raise up a present instrument of judgment against a disobedient king.
1 Kings 11 24 Bonus section
The geographical location of Rezon's base is important. Following 1 Kings 11:25 (which mentions his rule over Aram and dwelling in Damascus), his control of Damascus becomes highly significant. Damascus was a major center in Aram (Syria) and, after Rezon, would become a persistent and powerful antagonist to Israel, particularly the Northern Kingdom, for centuries to come. His rise marks the end of Israel's undisputed dominance over its northern borders and the re-establishment of a formidable enemy state. This period foreshadows the fragmentation of the unified kingdom and the perpetual struggle between Israel and Aram throughout much of the monarchical period.
1 Kings 11 24 Commentary
1 Kings 11:24 portrays Rezon as a concrete manifestation of God's judgment on Solomon's apostasy. Having explicitly informed Solomon that his unfaithfulness would result in the rending of his kingdom, God "raised up" adversaries. Rezon, though seemingly a human agent acting on ambition and opportunity, is presented biblically as part of God's sovereign plan. His rise from the remnants of Zobah's defeated army—a kingdom David himself had subdued under God's blessing—highlights divine irony and control. The description of his followers as a "marauding band" underscores the lawless, disruptive nature of the threats emerging against Solomon's once-unified and prosperous kingdom. This shift from David's military establishment and Solomon's early peace to such external threats vividly illustrates the consequences of turning away from the Lord. It signifies a transition from divinely sustained order to divine judgment, where the king's disobedience breeds instability and the re-emergence of hostile elements previously subdued.