New International Version
1 Kings 9:21
21Solomon 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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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
19as well as all his store cities and the towns for his chariots and for his horses—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled. 20There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these peoples were not Israelites). 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. 22But Solomon did not make slaves of any of the Israelites; they were his fighting men, his government officials, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and charioteers. 23They were also the chief officials in charge of Solomon’s projects—550 officials supervising those who did 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 1:21The Benjamites, however, did not drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the Benjamites.
- Judges 2:20Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant I ordained for their ancestors and has not listened to me,
- Judges 3:1These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan
- Psalms 106:34They did not destroy the peoples as the Lord had commanded them,
- Joshua 15:63Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.
- Joshua 17:12Yet the Manassites were not able to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region.
- 1 Kings 9:15Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the terraces, the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer.
- 1 Kings 5:13King Solomon conscripted laborers from all Israel—thirty thousand men.
- Judges 1:28When Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor but never drove them out completely.
- Genesis 9:25he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.”
- Ezra 2:55The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,
- Nehemiah 7:57The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,
- Nehemiah 11:3These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on their own property in the various towns,
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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