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20-21 For his forced labor Solomon used the descendants of the people of Canaan whom the Israelites had not killed when they took possession of their land. These included Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, whose descendants continue to be slaves down to the present time. 22 Solomon did not make slaves of Israelites; they served as his soldiers, officers, commanders, chariot captains, and cavalry.

23 There were 550 officials in charge of the forced labor working on Solomon's various building projects.

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21 Solomon conscripted the descendants(A) of all these peoples remaining in the land—whom the Israelites could not exterminate[a](B)—to serve as slave labor,(C) as it is to this day. 22 But Solomon did not make slaves(D) 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. 23 They were also the chief officials(E) in charge of Solomon’s projects—550 officials supervising those who did the work.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 9:21 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.