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 and from Syrians living in Zobah and other regions north of Israel. 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.