⁴ “Your father put a heavy yoke^(A) on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

⁷ Solomon had twelve district governors^(A) over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household. Each one had to provide supplies for one month in the year.

²² Solomon’s daily provisions^(A) were thirty cors^[a] of the finest flour and sixty cors^[b] of meal,

¹⁵ Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted^(A) to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the terraces,^[a](B) the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor,^(C) Megiddo and Gezer.^(D)

¹¹ He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take^(A) your sons and make them serve^(B) with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.^{(C) 12} Some he will assign to be commanders^(D) of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. ¹³ He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. ¹⁴ He will take the best of your^(E) fields and vineyards^(F) and olive groves and give them to his attendants.^{(G) 15} He will take a tenth^(H) of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. ¹⁶ Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle^[a] and donkeys he will take for his own use. ¹⁷ He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. ¹⁸ When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer^(I) you in that day.^(J)”