1 Kings 11:15
 1 Kings 11:15 
New International Version (©2011)
Earlier when David was fighting with Edom, Joab the commander of the army, who had gone up to bury the dead, had struck down all the men in Edom.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Years before, David had defeated Edom. Joab, his army commander, had stayed to bury some of the Israelite soldiers who had died in battle. While there, they killed every male in Edom.

English Standard Version (©2001)
For when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army went up to bury the slain, he struck down every male in Edom

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
For it came about, when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury the slain, and had struck down every male in Edom

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Earlier, when David was in Edom, Joab, the commander of the army, had gone to bury the dead and had struck down every male in Edom.

International Standard Version (©2012)
During David's military campaign against Edom, when his army commander Joab had gone out to bury the dead, he killed every male in Edom.

NET Bible (©2006)
During David's campaign against Edom, Joab, the commander of the army, while on a mission to bury the dead, killed every male in Edom.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
When David had conquered Edom, Joab, the commander of the army, went to bury those killed in battle and killed every male in Edom.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the army had gone up to bury the slain, after he had killed every male in Edom;

American King James Version
For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;

American Standard Version
For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, and had smitten every male in Edom;

Douay-Rheims Bible
For when David was in Edom, and Joab the general of the army was gone up to bury them that were slain, and had killed every male in Edom,

Darby Bible Translation
Now it came to pass when David was in Edom, when Joab the captain of the host had gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom

English Revised Version
For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, and had smitten every male in Edom;

Webster's Bible Translation
For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host had gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;

World English Bible
For it happened, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the army was gone up to bury the slain, and had struck every male in Edom

Young's Literal Translation
and it cometh to pass, in David's being with Edom, in the going up of Joab head of the host to bury the slain, that he smiteth every male in Edom --

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:14-25 While Solomon kept close to God and to his duty, there was no enemy to give him uneasiness; but here we have an account of two. If against us, he can make us fear even the least, and the very grasshopper shall be a burden. Though they were moved by principles of ambition or revenge, God used them to correct Solomon.


Pulpit Commentary

Verse 15. - For it came to pass, when David was in Edom [2 Samuel 8:14. But the text is peculiar. Instead of "in Edom" we have "with Edom," את־אדם, unless we take את to be the mark of the accusative, which, however, there is no verb to govern. Keil interprets, "When David had to do with Edom." Bahr refers to 1 Chronicles 20:5, and Genesis 19:4, but they are not strictly parallel, and it is possible that the text is slightly corrupt, as the LXX., Syr., and Arab. must have had בהכות instead of בהיות before them "when David smote Edom." The LXX., e.g., reads ἐν τῷ ἐξολοθρεῦσαι κ.τ.λ. It was only vicariously, however, that David smote Edom, or was in Edom. According to 1 Chronicles 18:12, Abishai slew 18,000 Edomites, while Psalm 60. (title) represents Joab as having slain 12,000 at the same time and place. The two brothers were both in high command, or Abishal may have been detailed by Joab to this service], and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain [The commentators generally are agreed that these are the Israelites slain by the Edomites during an invasion of Israel, and not either the Edomites or Israelites slain in the valley of Salt], after he had smitten [rather, that he smote. This is the apodosis] every male in Edom. [This is, of course, hyperbolical (cf. "all Israel" below). It is clear that the whole Edomite nation did not perish. The words point to a terrible slaughter (cf. 1 Chronicles 18:13) among the men of war. Possibly the cruelties of the Edomites (compare Psalm 137:7; Obadiah 1:10-14) had provoked this act of retribution, as to which see Deuteronomy 20:13.]


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For it came to pass, when David was in Edom,.... Fighting with the Edomites, and subduing them, and putting garrisons in the land, 2 Samuel 8:14.

and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain: the Israelites that fell in battle, or whom the Edomites afterwards, through stratagem and surprise, fell upon in their garrisons and destroyed, and which caused Joab to go thither to bury them, and take vengeance on the Edomites for it; or these were the Edomites slain by David and Joab; and it has been always reckoned a piece of humanity to bury the dead of an enemy, and is to the honour of the conqueror, see Ezekiel 39:12 or to suffer the enemy to bury them themselves: it is said (o), that Hercules was the first that brought up this practice, and that before they were left on the field, to be devoured by dogs; so they were in the times of the Trojan war, as appears by the writings of Homer; but burying them, in later times, was used by the Romans (p) and Greeks; and Josephus (q) delivers it as a law of Moses to bury enemies, and not suffer any dead to lie without partaking of the earth, nor to pass by or overlook any unburied; but from whence he took it, or grounds it upon, is not very evident; this is the first mention of it; though the Targum is,

"to strip the slain:''

after he had smitten every male in Edom; as he thought, intending to root out the name of them; being enraged at their falling upon the garrisons, if that was the case.

(o) Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 12. c. 27. (p) Liv. Hist. l. 39. c. 21. Vid. Kirchman. Append. ad. lib. de Funer. Roman. c. 3, 4, & 5. (q) Antiqu. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 24. contr. Apion. l. 2. c. 29.


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Hadad's Return
14And the LORD stirred up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom. 15For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom; 16(For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom:) …

Numbers 31:7 They fought against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and killed every man.
Deuteronomy 20:13 When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it.
2 Samuel 8:14 He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.
1 Kings 11:14 Then the LORD raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom.
1 Kings 11:16 Joab and all the Israelites stayed there for six months, until they had destroyed all the men in Edom.
1 Chronicles 18:12 Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
1 Chronicles 18:13 He put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.