1 Kings 11:22

22 "Why?" the king asked. "Have I failed to give you something? Is that why you want to go back home?" "Just let me go," Hadad answered the king. And he went back to his country. As king of Edom, Hadad was an evil, bitter enemy of Israel.

1 Kings 11:22 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 11:22

Then Pharaoh said unto him, but what hast thou lacked with me,
&c.] Either of an equipage suitable to his birth and marriage, or of provisions for his household, or of honour and respect, or of any favour from him:

that, behold, thou seekest to go into thine own country?
as if not well used where he was, or would be better provided for there:

and he answered, nothing;
he wanted nothing at all, had all he could wish for:

howbeit, let me go in any wise:
he had such an extreme desire to go, that he begged it might not be denied him on any account; whether he acquainted Pharaoh with his view in this request is not said, but it is probable he did, and it is certain Pharaoh gave him leave to go, see ( 1 Kings 11:25 ) .

1 Kings 11:22 In-Context

20 She bore him a son, Genubath, who was raised by the queen in the palace, where he lived with the king's sons.

21 When the news reached Hadad in Egypt that David had died and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to the king, "Let me go back to my own country."

22 "Why?" the king asked. "Have I failed to give you something? Is that why you want to go back home?" "Just let me go," Hadad answered the king. And he went back to his country. As king of Edom, Hadad was an evil, bitter enemy of Israel.

23 God also caused Rezon son of Eliada to turn against Solomon. Rezon had fled from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah,

24 and had become the leader of a gang of outlaws. (This happened after David had defeated Hadadezer and had slaughtered his Syrian allies.) Rezon and his gang went and lived in Damascus, where his followers made him king of Syria.

Footnotes

• [a]. [One ancient translation] And he went back to his country; [Hebrew does not have these words.]
• [b]. [One ancient translation] As king . . . Israel; [in Hebrew this sentence, with some differences, comes at the end of verse 25.]