1 Kings 11:15–17 begins to tell us the background of the hatred that Hadad had for Israel in general and the Davidic dynasty in particular. During the reign of David, Edom had joined forces with the Syrians in making war against Israel. This conflict is recorded in 2 Samuel 8:13–14.
David directed Joab, the commander of the army of Israel, to go to the battlefield to give an honourable burial to the Israelites who died in the conflict. While he was engaged in that task, he also executed all the male members of the Edomite army that had opposed Israel, and this also seems to have included the male members of the royal family.
This would leave Edom in a position of complete subservience to Israel and without an indigenous ruler of their own. Therefore, we can easily see why Hadad, the sole male survivor of the royal family of Edom, nurtured the above-mentioned hatred.
15 Dans le temps où David battit Edom, Joab, chef de l'armée, étant monté pour enterrer les morts, tua tous les hommes qui étaient en Edom;