1 Kings 11:19

19 And Hadad found grace before Pharaoh greatly, in so much that Pharaoh gave to him a wife, the sister of his wife, (that is,) the sister of the queen, (the sister) of Tahpenes. (And Hadad found much favour before Pharaoh, so much so that Pharaoh eventually gave him a wife, his own wife's sister, that is, the sister of Queen Tahpenes.)

1 Kings 11:19 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 11:19

And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh
Perhaps for his comely personage, princely qualities, and good behaviour, as he grew up:

so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of
Tahpenes the queen;
it seems the kings of Egypt used to marry their favourites to great personages; see ( Genesis 41:45 ) .

1 Kings 11:19 In-Context

17 Hadad himself fled, and (some) men of Idumea, of the servants of his father, with him, that he should enter into Egypt; soothly Hadad was a little child. (and Hadad himself had fled, with some Edomites, some of his father's servants, so that he could escape to Egypt; for Hadad was still a young boy.)
18 And when they had risen from Midian, they came into Paran; and they took with them men of Paran, and entered into Egypt, to Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and Pharaoh gave an house to him, and ordained to him meats, and assigned to him land. (And after they had left Midian, they came to Paran; and they took with them men from Paran, and then went to Egypt, unto Pharaoh, the king of Egypt; and Pharaoh gave him a house, and ordained him sustenance, and assigned him some land.)
19 And Hadad found grace before Pharaoh greatly, in so much that Pharaoh gave to him a wife, the sister of his wife, (that is,) the sister of the queen, (the sister) of Tahpenes. (And Hadad found much favour before Pharaoh, so much so that Pharaoh eventually gave him a wife, his own wife's sister, that is, the sister of Queen Tahpenes.)
20 And the sister of Tahpenes engendered to him a son, Genubath; and Tahpenes nursed him in the house of Pharaoh; and Genubath dwelled before Pharaoh (and Genubath lived with Pharaoh), with the sons of Pharaoh.
21 And when Hadad had heard in Egypt, that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab, the prince of (the) chivalry, was dead, he said to Pharaoh, Suffer thou me, that I go into my land. (And when Hadad had heard in Egypt, that David slept with his forefathers, that is, that he had died, and that Joab, the leader of the cavalry, or of the army, had also died, he said to Pharaoh, Allow me to go back to my own land.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.