REZON re’ zən (רְזֹ֖ון; LXX Εσρωμ, LXX Alexandrinus Ραζων; meaning potentate, ruler).

The son of Eliadah who began his career in the service of Hadadezer, king of Zobah. Probably when David defeated Hadadezer (2 Sam 8:3) Rezon forsook his master, gathered men about him, and became a captain of freebooters. It was possibly years later during the reign of Solomon, that he occupied Damascus and founded there the dynasty which created the most powerful of the Aramaean kingdoms (1 Kings 11:23-25). This ordering of events is necessary to allow time for David’s establishment of garrisons among the Aramaeans from Damascus and his putting them under tribute after his victory over Hadadezer (c. 984 b.c.) (2 Sam 8:5, 6). After Rezon’s seizure of Damascus he became an adversary (Heb. sṭan) against Solomon (1 Kings 11:23). Many scholars identify him with Hezion, grandfather of Ben-hadad I (1 Kings 15:18).