REZON

(Reʹzon) [high official].

A resister of King Solomon. This son of Eliada had been in the service of Hadadezer the king of Zobah, from whom David took over Damascus. Rezon abandoned Hadadezer, however, and organized a marauder band. At some undisclosed time, Rezon himself took up reigning over Syria from Damascus, and especially from the time of Solomon’s apostasy to the end of his reign Rezon gave vent to his abhorrence of Israel. (1 Ki. 11:23-25; 1 Chron. 18:3-6) If, as some suggest, he was the person called Hezion at 1 Kings 15:18, this would make him founder of the Syrian dynasty that had extensive dealings with Israel.