Ben-hay´dad; Heb., “son of Hadad”
The name of several kings of Damascus. Scholars disagree as to whether biblical references to a king of Damascus by this name refer to two or three separate individuals. In addition, Assyrian texts mention Adad-idri (Hadadezer) and Mari (an Aramaic title meaning “my lord”), which may be alternate names for some of the same rulers. 1 The son of Tabrimmon, who was bribed by Judah’s King Asa (early ninth century BCE) to break his alliance with Israel, after which he conquered several cities and the territory of Naphtali (1Kgs 15:18-21). 2 In the ninth century BCE, a king who erected a stele near Aleppo in honor of the Tyrian god Melqart. 3 The king who attacked Israel several times during the reign of Ahab (mid-ninth century BCE), who was able to defeat him. Although Ben-hadad fled, he was forced to restore cities he had taken from Ahab’s father, Omri, and grant Ahab commercial privileges in Damascus (1Kgs 20). 4 Hazadezer, who participated with Ahab in a coalition of Syrian kings who resisted the army of the Assyrian emperor Shalmaneser III at Qarqar in 853. 5 One who besieged Samaria during the time of Elisha (mid-ninth century BCE). This Ben-hadad was murdered by Hazael, one of his officers (2Kgs 8:7-15), after receiving a prophecy from Elisha. 6 A king who led an unsuccessful coalition of several north Syrian kings against King Zakir of Hamath early in the eighth century BCE. 7 The son of Hazael, who took several cities from Jehoahaz, king of Israel, and whose son Jehoash recaptured them (2Kgs 13:24-25). 8 Mari, who paid tribute to the Assyrian king Adad-nirari III after being besieged in Damascus.
