מלכים א, פרק י״א, פסוק כ״ד

The collapse of an empire often creates a sudden power vacuum, paving the way for an escaped servant to rise as a formidable military threat. During David's campaign against the Aramean army, a man named Rezon seized the opportunity created by the chaos. He fled from his master, gathered a militia of men around him, and established himself as a commander. There is a deep irony in this chain of events. It was specifically David's crushing victory over Hadadezer and his forces that provided Rezon with the available men and the freedom to build his own army. Had David not decimated that military force, Rezon would have remained nothing more than a hunted fugitive. In a surprising twist of fate, Rezon directly benefited from David's military success [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד].

Once Rezon solidified his power, he and his newly formed militia marched to Damascus, another key Aramean city. They settled in the region and successfully seized control of the government. This takeover involved a strategic alliance with Hadad, as the two leaders joined forces and traveled to Damascus together. Rezon may have secured his rule in the city specifically through Hadad's assistance, or perhaps the two men initially shared the throne and ruled side by side [מלבי״ם].

The underlying motivation for Rezon to relocate to Damascus and forge this alliance was highly calculated. By combining their resources and manpower, Rezon and Hadad aimed to establish a unified front dedicated to waging war against Israel [מצודת דוד].