English Standard Version
1 Kings 9:21
21their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel were unable to devote to destruction—these Solomon drafted to be slaves, and so they are to this day.
1 Kings 9:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.
- New International Version (NIV)Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these peoples remaining in the land—whom the Israelites could not exterminate—to serve as slave labor, as it is to this day.
- New King James Version (NKJV)that is, their descendants who were left in the land after them, whom the children of Israel had not been able to destroy completely—from these Solomon raised forced labor, as it is to this day.
- New Living Translation (NLT)These were descendants of the nations whom the people of Israel had not completely destroyed. So Solomon conscripted them as slaves, and they serve as forced laborers to this day.
Context of 1 Kings 9:21
19and all the store cities that Solomon had, and the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 20All the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the people of Israel— their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel were unable to devote to destruction—these Solomon drafted to be slaves, and so they are to this day. 22But of the people of Israel Solomon made no slaves. They were the soldiers, they were his officials, his commanders, his captains, his chariot commanders and his horsemen. 23These were the chief officers who were over Solomon's work: 550 who had charge of the people who carried on the work.
Read all of 1 Kings 91 Kings 9:21 word by word
בְּנֵיהֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר נֹתְר֤וּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־יָכְל֛וּ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְהַֽחֲרִימָ֑ם וַיַּעֲלֵ֤ם שְׁלֹמֹה֙ לְמַס־עֹבֵ֔ד עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Their childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- that were leftיָתַרyâthar · to remainH3498
- afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- them in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- also were not ableיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
- utterly to destroyחָרַםchâram · to devote/destroyH2763
- upon those did Solomonשְׁלֹמֹהshelômôh · SolomonH8010
- levyעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: establishH5927
- a tributeמַסmas mis · taskworkerH4522
- of bondserviceעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: labourH5647
- unto this dayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
Cross-references for 1 Kings 9:21
- Judges 1:21But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.
- Judges 2:20So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he said, "Because this people have transgressed my covenant that I commanded their fathers and have not obeyed my voice,
- Judges 3:1Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan.
- Psalms 106:34They did not destroy the peoples, as the Lord commanded them,
- Joshua 15:63But the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the people of Judah could not drive out, so the Jebusites dwell with the people of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.
- Joshua 17:12Yet the people of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land.
- 1 Kings 9:15And this is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon drafted to build the house of the Lord and his own house and the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem and Hazor and Megiddo and Gezer
- 1 Kings 5:13King Solomon drafted forced labor out of all Israel, and the draft numbered 30,000 men.
- Judges 1:28When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not drive them out completely.
- Genesis 9:25he said, "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers."
- Ezra 2:55The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassophereth, the sons of Peruda,
- Nehemiah 7:57The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida,
- Nehemiah 11:3These are the chiefs of the province who lived in Jerusalem; but in the towns of Judah everyone lived on his property in their towns: Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon's servants.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 9:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21A tribute of bond-service - He made them do the most laborious part of the public works, the Israelites being generally exempt. When Sesostris, king of Egypt, returned from his wars, he caused temples to be built in all the cities of Egypt, but did not employ one Egyptian in the work, having built the whole by the hands of the captives which he had taken in his wars. Hence he caused this inscription to be placed upon each temple: - . No native has labored…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21See 1 Kings 5:15 note.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-28Verses 15-28 Here is a further account of Solomon's greatness. He began at the right end, for he built God's house first, and finished that before he began his own; then God blessed him, and he prospered in all his other buildings. Let piety begin, and profit follow; leave pleasure to the last. Whatever pains we take for the glory of God, and to profit others, we are likely to have the advantage. Canaan, the holy land, the glory of all lands, had no gold…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21devote to destruction: See “Complete Dedication” Theme Note.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-2415-24. this is the reason of the levy--A levy refers both to men and money, and the necessity for Solomon making it arose from the many gigantic works he undertook to erect. Millo--part of the fort of Jerusalem on Mount Zion (2Sa 5:9; 1Ch 11:8), or a row of stone bastions around Mount Zion, Millo being the great corner tower of that fortified wall (1Ki 11:27; 2Ch 32:5). the wall of Jerusalem--either repairing some breaches in it (1Ki 11:27), or extending…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 9:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries