Bedad is a person mentioned in the Bible as the father of Hadad, one of the early kings of Edom. He is known only through the reign of his son Hadad, and very little information is given about him directly. His son Hadad defeated the Midianites on the plains of Moab.
Bedad is mentioned as the father of Hadad in the list of kings who ruled in Edom before Israel had kings. This places him in an early period of Edom's history.
Bedad belonged to a time when Edom already had established kingdoms, long before Israel received its first king. The list of Edomite kings shows a series of rulers who did not follow dynastic succession.
39When Baal-Hanan son of Achbor died, Hadar succeeded him as king. His city was named Pau, and his wife's name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.
Bedad's son Hadad defeated the Midianites on the fields of Moab, which was an important military event in early Edomite history. Hadad ruled from the city of Avith.