The Chronicler then lists a succession of kings and their successors from Bela to Hadad. Attention is drawn to two particular kings both with the name Hadad.
The first was Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian on the plains of Moab (1 Chronicles 1:46). The Midianites were another of Israel’s enemies. These are the same people whom Gideon in miraculous fashion conquered several centuries later. The reference to the other Hadad, son of Baal-hanan in 1 Chronicles 1:50 is peculiar because the name of the city is provided (Pai) as well as the name of his wife, Mehetabel the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. It would seem that Mehetabel was a prominent lady in her day but nothing else is known about her. The Chronicler then inserts, And Hadad died,
with no successor named (1 Chronicles 1:51; see also Genesis 36:31–39). The suggestion is that once Israel had a king, the monarchy in Edom ceased to be. Later on, the writer indeed tells how Edom became David's servants
(2 Chronicles 18:13). And though Edom…revolted to this day
under the rule of the wicked king Jehoram, it is implied the sole cause of this rebellion was the faithlessness of Israel. This rule will be restored once Israel turns back to the Lord (Obadiah 1:17–21); the mountains of Edom will again fall under the solitary rule of the Lord (Obadiah 1:21).
These factors as well as the non-hostile tone of the genealogy encourage the reader to look forward to the day when Edom will again embrace and submit to the God of Israel and his anointed ruler.1
43 These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the people of Israel: Bela the son of Beor, the name of his city being Dinhabah.