Hadadezer(hadarezer)
“Hadad (the storm god) is help”
Summary
King of Zobah whom David defeated multiple times, breaking Syrian power and extending Israel's influence to the Euphrates. Also spelled Hadarezer.
☩Conflicts with David
Hadadezer (meaning 'Hadad is help') was king of Zobah in Syria. David defeated him when Hadadezer went to restore his control at the Euphrates River (2 Samuel 8:3-8; 1 Chronicles 18:3-8). David captured his chariots, hamstrung most horses, and took great quantities of bronze. When Damascus came to help Hadadezer, David defeated them too.
☩Second Defeat
Later, when the Ammonites hired Hadadezer's forces against Israel, David defeated them again (2 Samuel 10:15-19; 1 Chronicles 19:16-19). This defeat caused all Hadadezer's vassal kings to make peace with Israel and serve David. Hadadezer never recovered his former power, and Rezon later rebelled against Solomon using troops who had fled from Hadadezer (1 Kings 11:23).