הֲדַדְעֶ֫זֶר (ha.dad.e.zer)

The name Hadadezer means "Hadad is help," combining the storm god’s name with a common Hebrew element expressing reliance. In the biblical narrative, this title belongs to a king of Zobah, a region in Syria, who appears during the reigns of David and Solomon. The sources identify him as the son of Rehob and note that he is mentioned eight times across two books.

His most significant appearance occurs in 2 Samuel 8:3, where he leads an army against King David. This encounter highlights a major military confrontation, resulting in Hadadezer’s defeat by David’s forces. The text presents him not as a theological figure, but as a historical political rival whose power was checked by the expanding Israelite kingdom.

Translators typically retain the transliterated name rather than translating it, preserving its identity as a proper noun. This approach keeps the focus on the specific historical individual rather than abstracting his role into a general title. The record of his defeat serves to illustrate the extent of David’s military successes in the region.

While he appears briefly in these accounts, his presence marks a shift in regional power dynamics. His story is recorded primarily to document the conflicts between Israel and its northern neighbors during the United Monarchy period.