Metheg-ammah

Metheg-ammah appears once as the first Philistine stronghold David captured after consolidating his throne: "And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines" (2 Samuel 8:1). The name literally means "bridle of the mother-city" — most commentators identify it with Gath, chief city of the Philistine pentapolis (Goliath's hometown). The parallel 1 Chronicles 18:1 clarifies: "David took Gath and her towns out of the hand of the Philistines." David thus broke the Philistine grip over Judah's western frontier.