c. 995 b.c.
After purposely humiliating ambassadors sent by David, the Ammonites prepared for David’s response by calling for help from the king of Maacah, the men of Tob, and the Syrians living in Beth-rehob and Zobah. When David’s commander Joab defeated these forces, the Syrians called for more troops from beyond the Euphrates River and attacked David at Helam. David’s forces defeated them again, and the Syrians became subject to Israel.
