God also raised up as an adversary to him: Also is a translation of the common Hebrew conjunction, but the context requires something that shows that this is the second time that God had caused someone to oppose Solomon. In other languages it will be more natural to speak of “another enemy” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie, Nouvelle Bible Segond, La Bible du Semeur, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

For raised up, see the comments at verse 14, and for adversary refer to the comments on 1 Kgs 5.4.

Since the pronoun him could be misunderstood as referring to Hadad, many modern versions substitute the name “Solomon” for the pronoun (Good News Translation, New International Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version, Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

Rezon the son of Eliada became an enemy on Solomon’s northern border. Rezon should not confused with the similar name of Rezin, another Syrian king, who is mentioned in 2 Kgs 15–16. Apart from these few verses in 1 Kings, nothing more is known about Rezon.

His master is rendered “his lord” by New American Bible and Jewish Publication Version. The Hebrew term (ʾadonai) used here is the same one that is sometimes used of God, but in this context it clearly refers to the king to whom Rezon was supposed to be subject. This does not mean that Rezon was his slave, but that he would normally have submitted to him as a loyal subject.

Hadadezer king of Zobah: Zobah was an independent Syrian city-state north of Damascus. The record of David’s troubles with the king of this territory is found in 2 Sam 8.3-12 and 1 Chr 18.3-11.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .