1 Kings 9:22

_AND ALL THE CITIES OF STORE THAT SOLOMON HAD, AND CITIES FOR HIS CHARIOTS, AND CITIES FOR HIS HORSEMEN, AND THAT WHICH SOLOMON DESIRED TO BUILD IN JERUSALEM, AND IN LEBANON, AND IN ALL THE LAND OF HIS DOMINION._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

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 in it; which shows that the best produce is that which is for the present support of life, our own and others; such things did Canaan produce. Solomon got much by his merchandise, and yet has directed us to a better trade, within reach of the poorest. Wisdom is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold, Proverbs 3:14....

Comparing this with 1 Kings 5:13, 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....

EXPOSITION SOLOMON'S BUILDINGS AND UNDERTAKINGS.—So far the historian has spoken exclusively of the two greatest works of Solomon's reign, the Temple and the Palace, and principally of the former. Even the message just related was, as we have seen, the response to the prayer offered when the temple was consecrated. But he now proceeds to mention other proofs of Solomon's greatness, and of the prosperity of his reign—doubtless because the glory of Israel then reached its climax, and the author would be tempted to linger over these details because of the dark contrast which his own time supplied—and this leads him to speak of the means by which all these enterprises were accomplished. The particulars here given are but fragmentary, and are grouped together in a somewhat irregular manner. It would seem as if both this account and that of the chronicler had been compiled from much more copio...

BUT OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DID SOLOMON MAKE NO BONDMEN,.... For that was contrary to the law; they might be hired servants, but not bond servants, Leviticus 25:39 BUT THEY WERE MEN OF WAR; which he kept in pay, a standing army, maintained even in time of peace, in case of necessity, should an enemy attempt to invade or surprise them: AND HIS SERVANTS; in his family and court, who had offices and employments there: AND HIS PRINCES; ministers of state, counsellors, governors of cities, c. AND HIS CAPTAINS officers in his army: AND RULERS OF HIS CHARIOTS AND HIS HORSEMEN; war chariots and troopers; see 1 Kings 9:19....

5. JEHOVAH APPEARS UNTO SOLOMON AND THE GREATNESS OF THE KING CHAPTER 9 _ 1. The second appearance of the LORD to Solomon (1 Kings 9:1)_ 2. Transactions with Hiram (1 Kings 9:10) 3. The levy of the king (1 Kings 9:15) 4. Pharaoh's daughter occupies the house (1 Kings 9:24) 5. The king's offerings (1 Kings 9:25) 6. Solomon's navy (1 Kings 9:26) Jehovah's righteous government in the midst of His people Israel had

SOLOMON'S DEALINGS WITH HIRAM. THE LEVY. The source of this section seems to be the Acts of Solomon (see above). After Solomon had completed his buildings he was obliged to give Hiram cities in Galilee (1 Kings 9:11). The Chronicler, regarding this as unworthy of the great king, makes Hiram give the cities to Solomon (2 Chronicles 8:2). Galilee (pp. 28- 30) is mentioned in Joshua 20:7; Joshua 21:32; 1 Chronicles 6:76, and in 2 Kings 15:29, nearly always

MAKE NO BONDMEN. According to Leviticus 25:39. The levy, of 1 Kings 5:13; 1 Kings 11:28, was. levy for free service. This was for bondservice (1 Kings 9:21). AND. Note the Figure of speech _Polysyndeton_ (App-6) in this verse....

_But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondman_ This must be read in the light of chap. 1 Kings 5:13. There we are told of Solomon's levy upon all Israel. But the 30,000 men there spoken of had duty forced on them only for a month at a time. Ten thousand served for one month, and were two months at home before their turn for service came round again. Moreover, when the work for which they were enrolled came to an end they were free. It may also be that in the course of 20 years Solomon changed his system, especially if he saw that his people were beginning to find his yoke heavy. But the Canaanite levy was continuous -unto this day." _his servants_ i.e. His officers. The position of the word between -men of war" and -princes" shews that the service here spoken of was a service of dignity. They were such -servants" as are spoken of in...

B. SOLOMON AND THE _CORVÉE_ 9:15-25 The second means by which Solomon was able to construct so many buildings was the compulsory labor force. The use of forced labor (Heb. _hammas)_ was mentioned in connection with the building of the Temple (1 Kings 5:13-18). Here it is mentioned again in connection with Solomon's other building projects. The object of the forced labor was the building of public works, the Temple, palace, fortifications and strategic points in the provinces. This section lists the various construction projects of the corvée (1 Kings 9:15-19), discusses the composition of the corvée (1 Kings 9:20-23), and concludes with two brief notes pointing to the completion of Solomon'