But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.
But Solomon did not make any of the Israelites into slaves. Instead, they served as his soldiers, personal servants, government officials, military commanders, chariot commanders, and cavalry officers.
This verse shows that Solomon honored his own people by giving them positions of leadership and military service rather than forcing them into slavery.
📚 Historical Context
This verse comes during Solomon's reign when he was building the temple and his palace using forced labor. While he enslaved conquered peoples like the Canaanites for construction work, he gave the Israelites positions of honor and authority in his government and military. This reflected the special covenant relationship between God and the people of Israel.
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