1 Kings 9:21 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 9:15-28

We have here a further account of Solomon's greatness. I. His buildings. He raised a great levy both of men and money, because he projected a great deal of building, which would both employ many hands and put him to a vast expense, 1 Kgs. 9:15. And he was a wise builder, who sat down first, and counted the cost, and would not begin to build till he found himself able to finish. Perhaps there was some complaint of the heaviness of the taxes, which the historian excuses from the greatness of his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 9:21

A tribute of bond-service - He made them do the most laborious part of the public works, the Israelites being generally exempt. When Sesostris, king of Egypt, returned from his wars, he caused temples to be built in all the cities of Egypt, but did not employ one Egyptian in the work, having built the whole by the hands of the captives which he had taken in his wars. Hence he caused this inscription to be placed upon each temple: - Ουδεις εγχωριος εις αυτα μεμοχθηκε . No native... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 9:21

Their children that were left after them in the land [this is explicative of 1 Kings 9:20 ], whom the children of Israel also [ also is not in the Hebrew, and is meaningless] were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bond service [see on 1 Kings 5:13 , and cf. 1:1-36 ; passim, and 1 Chronicles 22:2 ] unto this day. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Kings 9:21

See 1 Kings 5:15 note. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Kings 9:20-21

1 Kings 9:20-21. All the people that were left of the Amorites Who, it is likely, by this time were become proselytes to the Jewish religion, as the Gibeonites were, or at least renounced their idolatry. Upon those did Solomon levy a tribute He used them as bond-men, and imposed bodily labours upon them. “But why did not Solomon destroy them, as God had commanded, when now it was fully in his power to do so?” The command to destroy them, (Deuteronomy 7:2,) did chiefly, if not only,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 9:10-25

Building development in other cities (9:10-25)Earlier Solomon had borrowed from Hiram about four thousand kilograms of gold to help finance his ambitious building programs. In payment of these debts, Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in northern Israel. Hiram was not satisfied with these cities and returned them (which meant that Solomon had to look for other ways to repay the loan) (10-14; see 2 Chronicles 8:1-2).To strengthen Jerusalem’s security, Solomon rebuilt the Millo (some sort of... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Kings 9:21

bondservice. See note on 1 Kings 9:22 . read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Kings 9:1-28

D. The Fruits of Solomon’s Reign chs. 9-11The writer next recorded what happened to Solomon and to Israel as a result of the king’s provision to exalt the reputation of Yahweh among His people. He narrated God’s covenant with Solomon (1 Kings 9:1-9), further evidences of Yahweh’s blessing (1 Kings 9:10-28), Solomon’s greatness (ch. 10), and Solomon’s apostasy (ch. 11). read more