Vassal States
Certain nations were allowed to keep their own kings, these were called vassal states. These included Moab (east of the Dead Sea ) and Edom (south of the Dead Sea), and the Damascus territory (far in the northeast). Zobah was most likely included as well but this in not conclusive. There was also a territory even farther north called Hamath which acknowledged Israel's sovereignty and submitted to David's authority. Hamath's territory stretched northeast to the Euphrates River.
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