2 Samuel 8

The literal Hebrew language says David conquered Metheg-ammah. If it was a place, the location has been lost to history. But this story is also reported in 1 Chronicles 18. And there, the historian reports that David conquered Gath and its nearby villages outside the walled city.

Zobah was a Syrian territory east of Lebanon. It stretched for more than 100 miles (160 km), between Damascus in the south and the city of Hamath north of Lebanon. David took control of that land, which extended to about 100 miles south of what is now the border between Syria and Turkey. That gave David control of much of the livable parts of what is now Syria.

The writer didn’t make it clear what was going on. And he didn’t identify the river. Some theorize the Syrian king was going north to the Euphrates River, so David surprised him by attacking from the south. But the way it’s phrased, it’s also possible that David went to the river to capture land and make a name for himself—and that along the way, David conquered Zobah.

It’s unclear if these were shields or perhaps quivers to hold arrows. But whatever they were, they were for show. Gold was too heavy and soft for battle.

Betah shows up only here in the Bible. Given the surrounding verses, it was likely located in what is now Syria.

Berothai may have been located where the Lebanese city of Bereitan (also known as Brital) is today, near the border with Syria. First Chronicles 18:8 adds that Solomon used this bronze to make the Jerusalem Temple’s huge sacrificial water container called the Sea.

Salt Valley may have been south of the Dead Sea, along the boundary of Edom and Israel.

Possibly mercenaries. Scholars often link the Cherethites to warriors from Crete and the Pelethites with the Philistines. They show up this way in Ezekiel 25:15 and Zephaniah 2:5.

Priests of what? That’s the question. They weren’t from the tribe of Levi, so they wouldn’t have been legit as priests anointed for service to God (Numbers 18:6). Perhaps they were temporary priests or priests in title only, with “priest” as a ceremonial title.