הֲדַד
Hadad, the name of an idol, and of several kings of Edom
Definition
Hadad is a proper name primarily referring to two distinct entities in the Old Testament. First, it is the name of several kings of Edom, as recorded in the Edomite king lists in Genesis 36:35-36 and 1 Chronicles 1:46-47. Second, and more prominently, it is the name of an Aramean deity, a storm god, whose worship is associated with the kingdom of Damascus. This divine Hadad is referenced in the context of the adversaries raised up against King Solomon, including Hadad the Edomite (1 Kings 11:14-25), whose personal name likely invoked the power of this pagan god.
Biblical Usage
The name Hadad appears 11 times, primarily in historical narratives. It is used in the genealogical and king-list contexts of Genesis 36 and 1 Chronicles 1. Its most significant narrative usage is in 1 Kings 11, where it refers to Hadad the Edomite, a political adversary of Solomon. The usage consistently identifies individuals (often royalty) or a deity, with no instances of it being used as a common noun.
Etymology
The name הֲדַד (Hadad) is almost certainly of foreign, non-Hebrew origin. It is linguistically connected to the Northwest Semitic storm god, known as Haddu or Adad. This is reflected in the biblical note comparing it to אֲדַד (Adad, H111), another name for the same deity. The name's meaning is associated with thunder, fitting for a storm god.
Semantic Range
The name Hadad is theologically significant as it represents the persistent threat of idolatry and foreign political opposition to God's people and the Davidic dynasty. The story of Hadad the Edomite in 1 Kings 11 illustrates God's judgment on Solomon's disobedience by raising up adversaries, fulfilling the covenant warnings. Understanding that this adversary bears the name of a major pagan storm god enriches the reading by highlighting the spiritual conflict behind the political one.
In the ancient Near East, Hadad was a major deity worshipped across several cultures, including the Arameans of Damascus, as the god of storm, rain, and fertility. For an Edomite prince or an Aramean to bear this name was to place oneself under the patronage and symbolic power of this god. This contrasts sharply with the Israelite worship of Yahweh, setting up a clear cultural and religious dichotomy in the biblical narrative.
בַּעַל (Baal, H1168) — Another major Canaanite storm/fertility god, often syncretized with or compared to Hadad. רִמּוֹן (Rimmon, H7417) — An Aramean deity possibly identified with or worshipped alongside Hadad in Damascus (see 2 Kings 5:18).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →