Hadarezer in Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Son of Rehob, king of Zobah. Helped by the Damascus Syrians (See HADAD); driven by David beyond the river Euphrates (2 Samuel 8:3; 2 Samuel 8:5; 2 Samuel 10:6-9; 1 Chronicles 18:3; 1 Chronicles 19:7-19). After Joab's first repulse of Ammon and their Syrian allies Hadarezer, undaunted by defeat twice (2 Samuel 8:3; 2 Samuel 8:5), sent a host under the command of Shophach to assist his kinsmen of Maachah, Rehob, and Ishtob; David in person routed them completely at Helam; thus, the Syrian confederacy was overthrown, Hadarezer's subordinate princes submitted to David who dedicated to Jehovah the 1000 "shields" or "weapons (shelet) of gold" taken in the first war; these were long known as king David's (Song of Solomon 4:4; 2 Chronicles 23:9). (See HELAM.) Rezonof Hadarezer's retainers escaped, and with "bands" marauded the thinly-peopled district between the Jordan and the Euphrates (2 Kings 5:2; 1 Chronicles 5:18- 22), then became master of Damascus, and as an "adversary" did "mischief" to Israel in Solomon's days (1 Kings 11:28- 25). (See REZON.) Edom invaded Israel during David's absence at the Euphrates; Psalm 44 by the sons of Korah alludes to this. Psalm 60 by David was composed after victory in part had been gained over Aram Naharaim (Syria of the two floods) and Aram (Syria) of Zobah the kingdom of Hadarezer, who had come to help his vassals of Mesopotamia, the region of the two rivers Tigris and Euphrates; after having conquered the two Syrias, Joab returned and smote Edom in the valley of Salt; Psalm 60 refers to the expedition subsequently undertaken to occupy Edom in revenge for Edom's invasion of Israel.