Takpenes
Egyptian Queen and Hadad's Mother-in-Law
Also known as: Tahpenes, Tachpenes
Takpenes was an Egyptian queen, wife of the pharaoh, who lived during Solomon's time. She is known for giving her sister in marriage to Hadad from Edom, an enemy of Solomon. She also raised her sister's son Genubath in the house of Pharaoh.
Key events
Hadad Flees to Egypt
After Joab had defeated the Edomites, the young Hadad fled to Egypt, where the pharaoh welcomed him and gave him land, food, and a house.
14Then the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon: Hadad the Edomite, of the royal line of Edom.
וַיָּ֨קֶם יְהוָ֤ה שָׂטָן֙ לִשְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֵ֖ת הֲדַ֣ד הָאֲדֹמִ֑י מִזֶּ֧רַע הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ ה֖וּא בֶּאֱדֽוֹם׃
15Earlier, when David was at war with Edom, Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury the dead, and he struck down every male in Edom.
וַיְהִ֗י בִּֽהְי֤וֹת דָּוִד֙ אֶת־אֱד֔וֹם בַּעֲל֗וֹת יוֹאָב֙ שַׂ֣ר הַצָּבָ֔א לְקַבֵּ֖ר אֶת־הַחֲלָלִ֑ים וַיַּ֥ךְ כָּל־זָכָ֖ר בֶּאֱדֽוֹם׃
16Joab and all Israel stayed there six months, until he had killed every male in Edom.
כִּ֣י שֵׁ֧שֶׁת חֳדָשִׁ֛ים יָֽשַׁב־שָׁ֥ם יוֹאָ֖ב וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עַד־הִכְרִ֥ית כָּל־זָכָ֖ר בֶּאֱדֽוֹם׃
17But Hadad fled to Egypt, along with some Edomites who had served his father. Hadad was only a small boy at the time.
וַיִּבְרַ֣ח אֲדַ֡ד הוּא֩ וַאֲנָשִׁ֨ים אֲדֹמִיִּ֜ים מֵעַבְדֵ֥י אָבִ֛יו אִתּ֖וֹ לָב֣וֹא מִצְרָ֑יִם וַהֲדַ֖ד נַ֥עַר קָטָֽן׃
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.
וַיָּקֻ֙מוּ֙ מִמִּדְיָ֔ן וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ פָּארָ֑ן וַיִּקְחוּ֩ אֲנָשִׁ֨ים עִמָּ֜ם מִפָּארָ֗ן וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּתֶּן־ל֣וֹ בַ֗יִת וְלֶ֙חֶם֙ אָ֣מַר ל֔וֹ וְאֶ֖רֶץ נָ֥תַן לֽוֹ׃
Takpenes' Sister Given to Hadad
The pharaoh gave Hadad the sister of his queen Takpenes as a wife, which showed the high status Hadad received at the Egyptian court.
19Hadad found such great favor with Pharaoh that Pharaoh gave him in marriage the sister of his own wife, the sister of Queen Tahpenes.
וַיִּמְצָ֨א הֲדַ֥ד חֵ֛ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י פַרְעֹ֖ה מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּתֶּן־ל֤וֹ אִשָּׁה֙ אֶת־אֲח֣וֹת אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ אֲח֖וֹת תַּחְפְּנֵ֥יס הַגְּבִירָֽה׃
Genubath's Birth and Upbringing
Takpenes' sister gave birth to a son named Genubath, whom Takpenes raised in the house of Pharaoh among Pharaoh's own sons.
20Tahpenes' sister bore him a son, Genubath, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's palace; and Genubath lived there among Pharaoh's own children.
וַתֵּ֨לֶד ל֜וֹ אֲח֣וֹת תַּחְפְּנֵ֗יס אֵ֚ת גְּנֻבַ֣ת בְּנ֔וֹ וַתִּגְמְלֵ֣הוּ תַחְפְּנֵ֔ס בְּת֖וֹךְ בֵּ֣ית פַּרְעֹ֑ה וַיְהִ֤י גְנֻבַת֙ בֵּ֣ית פַּרְעֹ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י פַרְעֹֽה׃
Hadad Becomes an Adversary of Solomon
After Hadad heard that David and Joab were dead, he asked the pharaoh for permission to return to his own land, where he became an adversary of Solomon as God's judgment on Solomon's apostasy.
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."
וַהֲדַ֞ד שָׁמַ֣ע בְּמִצְרַ֗יִם כִּֽי־שָׁכַ֤ב דָּוִד֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וְכִי־מֵ֖ת יוֹאָ֣ב שַֽׂר־הַצָּבָ֑א וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הֲדַד֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה שַׁלְּחֵ֖נִי וְאֵלֵ֥ךְ אֶל־אַרְצִֽי׃
22Pharaoh said to him, "What have you lacked with me, that now you want to go back to your own country?" "Nothing," Hadad answered, "only let me go."
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר ל֣וֹ פַרְעֹ֗ה כִּ֠י מָה־אַתָּ֤ה חָסֵר֙ עִמִּ֔י וְהִנְּךָ֥ מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ לָלֶ֣כֶת אֶל־אַרְצֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ לֹ֔א כִּ֥י שַׁלֵּ֖חַ תְּשַׁלְּחֵֽנִי׃
23God also raised up against Solomon another adversary: Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master Hadadezer king of Zobah.
וַיָּ֨קֶם אֱלֹהִ֥ים לוֹ֙ שָׂטָ֔ן אֶת־רְז֖וֹן בֶּן־אֶלְיָדָ֑ע אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּרַ֗ח מֵאֵ֛ת הֲדַדְעֶ֥זֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־צוֹבָ֖ה אֲדֹנָֽיו׃
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.
וַיִּקְבֹּ֤ץ עָלָיו֙ אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיְהִ֣י שַׂר־גְּד֔וּד בַּהֲרֹ֥ג דָּוִ֖ד אֹתָ֑ם וַיֵּלְכ֤וּ דַמֶּ֙שֶׂק֙ וַיֵּ֣שְׁבוּ בָ֔הּ וַֽיִּמְלְכ֖וּ בְּדַמָּֽשֶׂק׃
25He was an adversary to Israel as long as Solomon lived, adding to the trouble caused by Hadad. He loathed Israel and reigned over Aram.
וַיְהִ֨י שָׂטָ֤ן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה וְאֶת־הָרָעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֲדָ֑ד וַיָּ֙קָץ֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּמְלֹ֖ךְ עַל־אֲרָֽם׃ פ