1 Kings 9:21

21 They were descendants of people that the Israelites had not destroyed. Solomon forced them to work for him as slaves, as is still true today.

1 Kings 9:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 9:21

Their children that were left after them in the land
The posterity of those left unsubdued in the times of Joshua:

whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy;
in later times, though now it is thought by some it was not for want of power, but because they had made a covenant with them, as the Gibeonites did, and therefore they could not, because it would have been a breach of covenant to have destroyed them; see ( 2 Chronicles 8:8 ) ,

upon these did Solomon levy a tribute of bond service unto this day;
not a tribute of money, which being poor they were not able to pay, but of service, and which being once laid on was continued, and even to the time of the writing of this book.

1 Kings 9:21 In-Context

19 King Solomon also built cities for storing grain and supplies and cities for his chariots and horses. He built whatever he wanted in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and everywhere he ruled.

20 There were other people in the land who were not Israelites -- Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

21 They were descendants of people that the Israelites had not destroyed. Solomon forced them to work for him as slaves, as is still true today.

22 But Solomon did not make slaves of the Israelites. They were his soldiers, government leaders, officers, captains, chariot commanders, and drivers.

23 These were his most important officers over the work. There were five hundred fifty supervisors over the people who did the work on Solomon's projects.