New International Version
1 Kings 9:22
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.
1 Kings 9:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But of the children of Israel Solomon made no forced laborers, because they were men of war and his servants: his officers, his captains, commanders of his chariots, and his cavalry.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But Solomon did not conscript any of the Israelites for forced labor. Instead, he assigned them to serve as fighting men, government officials, officers and captains in his army, commanders of his chariots, and charioteers.
Context of 1 Kings 9:22
20There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these peoples were not Israelites). 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. But 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. 24After Pharaoh’s daughter had come up from the City of David to the palace Solomon had built for her, he constructed the terraces.
Read all of 1 Kings 91 Kings 9:22 word by word
וּמִבְּנֵי֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹֽא־נָתַ֥ן שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה עָ֑בֶד כִּי־הֵ֞ם אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וַעֲבָדָיו֙ וְשָׂרָ֣יו וְשָׁלִשָׁ֔יו וְשָׂרֵ֥י רִכְבּ֖וֹ וּפָרָשָֽׁיו׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- did Solomonשְׁלֹמֹהshelômôh · SolomonH8010
- makeנָתַןnâthan · to give: makeH5414
- no bondmenעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- of warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- and his princesשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- and his captainsשָׁלִישׁshâlîysh shâlôsh shâlôsh · officerH7991
- of his chariotsרֶ֫כֶבrekeb · chariotH7393
- and his horsemenפָּרָשׁpârâsh · horsemanH6571
Cross-references for 1 Kings 9:22
- Leviticus 25:39“ ‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves.
- 1 Kings 4:1So King Solomon ruled over all Israel.
- 1 Samuel 8:11He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.
- 2 Chronicles 8:9But Solomon did not make slaves of the Israelites for his work; they were his fighting men, commanders of his captains, and commanders of his chariots and charioteers.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 9:22
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22Comparing this with 1 Kings 5:13-14, it would seem that a modified service of forced labor for one-third of each year was not regarded as reducing those who were subject to it to the condition of bondmen.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. 20-23Solomon's conscripted workers included early Canaanite settlers. There were 550 chief supervisors, and 250 of them were Israelites, overseeing the laborers (2 Chronicles 8:9–10; see 1 Kings 5:15–16 with 2 Chronicles 2:17–18).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 9:22
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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