Genubath was the son of Hadad, an Edomite prince who fled to Egypt after Joab had destroyed all the male Edomites. His mother was the sister of Queen Tahpenes of Egypt. Genubath was raised in Pharaoh's house among Pharaoh's own sons.
After Joab and the Israelites had killed all the male Edomites, Hadad fled as a young boy to Egypt, where Pharaoh welcomed him and gave him a house, food, and land.
18They set out from Midian and came to Paran; there they took men with them and went on to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house, provided for his food, and granted him land.
When Hadad heard that David and Joab were dead, he asked Pharaoh to let him return to his own land, which was part of God's plan to raise up adversaries against Solomon.
21While Hadad was in Egypt, he heard that David had gone to rest with his fathers and that Joab the commander of the army was dead. So Hadad said to Pharaoh, "Let me go, that I may return to my own country."
The Lord raised up Hadad as an adversary against Solomon because of Solomon's sin in turning to other gods. This was part of God's judgment on Solomon's unfaithfulness.
24He gathered men around him and became the leader of a raiding band after David struck them down. They went to Damascus, settled there, and made him king in Damascus.