Cun] 2 Samuel viii. 8, “Berothai.” Nothing is certainly known of a city of either name; but “Berothai” may be the same as “Berothah” (Ezekiel xlvii. 16).
very much brass] Compare xxi. 14, xxix. 2.
brass] Not the metal generally so called. Revised Version (margin note to Genesis iv. 22) gives copper as an alternative rendering. The “brass” of the ancients (χαλκός, LXX.) corresponds rather to bronze.
the brasen sea, etc.] Compare 2 Chronicles iv. 11–18.
⁹And when Tou king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah,
9. Tou] In 2 Samuel viii. 9 “Toi” (so Hebrew, but LXX. “Tou”).
Hamath] see above verse 3. Hamath is sometimes referred to as the northern boundary of Israel, compare 1 Kings viii. 65; 2 Kings xiv. 25, 28.
¹⁰he sent Hadoram his son to king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadarezer and smitten him; for Hadarezer had wars with Tou; and he had with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass.
10. Hadoram] In 2 Samuel viii. 10, “Joram.” Both these forms are probably Hebrew adaptations of the real name.
he had with him all manner of vessels] Such informal tribute was an acknowledgment of David’s suzerainty made in order to claim David’s protection in war. Compare the action of Asa (1 Kings xv. 18, 19) and of Ahaz (2 Kings xvi. 7, 8). In all three cases the policy was the same, i.e. to acknowledge a distant suzerain and so gain the benefit of a valuable alliance while losing the minimum of independence.