Toi

Toi (also written Tou, 1 Chr. 18:9) was the king of Hamath, the Aramean city-state on the Orontes River in Syria. When David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah — with whom Toi had long been at war — Toi sent his son Joram (also called Hadoram) to David with congratulations and gifts of silver, gold, and bronze (2 Sam. 8:9-10; 1 Chr. 18:9-10). His name means who wanders or error in Hitchcock's lexicon.

The diplomatic exchange illustrates the international recognition of David's military dominance and the shifting alliances of the Levantine city-states in the tenth century BC. David consecrated the metals from Toi's gifts to the Lord (2 Sam. 8:11), along with the plunder from his other campaigns. Toi's proactive diplomacy prevented a potentially costly confrontation with the newly dominant Israelite kingdom.