2 Chronicles 8 8

2 Chronicles 8:8 kjv

But of their children, who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel consumed not, them did Solomon make to pay tribute until this day.

2 Chronicles 8:8 nkjv

that is, their descendants who were left in the land after them, whom the children of Israel did not destroy?from these Solomon raised forced labor, as it is to this day.

2 Chronicles 8:8 niv

Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these people remaining in the land?whom the Israelites had not destroyed?to serve as slave labor, as it is to this day.

2 Chronicles 8:8 esv

from their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel had not destroyed ? these Solomon drafted as forced labor, and so they are to this day.

2 Chronicles 8:8 nlt

These were descendants of the nations whom the people of Israel had not destroyed. So Solomon conscripted them for his labor force, and they serve as forced laborers to this day.

2 Chronicles 8 verses

2 Chronicles 8 8 Meaning

2 Chronicles 8:8 states that King Solomon recruited forced labor for his vast building projects from the descendants of the non-Israelite peoples who remained in the land. These were the generations of various indigenous groups whom the Israelites had not completely eradicated during their conquest, contrary to divine commands for their complete displacement or destruction. Solomon utilized these surviving foreign populations to fulfill the extensive manpower demands of constructing the Temple, royal palaces, fortified cities, and other infrastructure throughout his kingdom.

2 Chronicles 8 8 Context

2 Chronicles 8 describes Solomon's significant building program after the completion of the Temple and his palace. Following his alliance with Hiram of Tyre (2 Chr 8:2), Solomon reconstructs cities given to him by Hiram and fortifies strategically important locations. This extensive infrastructure development required a vast workforce. Verse 8, along with its parallel in 1 Kings 9:20-21, specifies that the primary source of this labor was not Israelites, but rather the surviving descendants of the pre-Israelite inhabitants of Canaan. The historical context reflects a common ancient Near Eastern practice where conquered or subjugated populations were conscripted for large-scale public works projects, often as corvée (forced) labor. This particular verse addresses the continuing presence of groups like the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, whom earlier generations of Israelites had failed to completely dispossess, as commanded by God. Solomon pragmatically used this pre-existing pool of non-Israelite inhabitants to manage his enormous building undertakings, ensuring that his own people, the Israelites, were spared from this heavy, forced service.

2 Chronicles 8 8 Word analysis

• "their children": Refers to the descendants or offspring of the foreign nations (Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) mentioned implicitly or explicitly in related passages (e.g., 1 Ki 9:20). This signifies that multiple generations had passed since the original conquest, and these people remained within the land.
• "who were left after them": This phrase (Hebrew: הַנּוֹתָרִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם, hannōtārîm ’aḥărêhem) denotes a "remnant" or "survivors." It emphasizes the incompleteness of the Israelite conquest of Canaan, as documented in Judges 1. These were the people whom the Israelites, despite divine instruction, did not fully displace or eradicate.
• "in the land": Specifies their dwelling within the geographical boundaries of Israel's inherited territory, highlighting their status as resident foreigners rather than external populations.
• "whom the people of Israel had not destroyed": This is a critical clause. The Hebrew term used for "destroyed" (הֶחֱרִמָם, ḥērerîmām, from ḥāram) refers to the concept of ḥērem, or "devotion to destruction," which involved utterly eradicating or dedicating an enemy to God through complete annihilation. The text here subtly notes the past failure of the Israelites to execute this command fully against these particular groups, an act of disobedience that had direct implications for the future and allowed these populations to remain as Solomon's labor force.
• "from them Solomon raised": This indicates a proactive and governmental act of conscription by King Solomon. He actively drafted these available foreign populations.
• "forced labor": The Hebrew word is מַס (mas), which refers to a levy, tribute, or forced servitude. It denotes an imposed, non-voluntary service, often associated with strenuous manual labor for royal or state projects. This was a common feature of ancient Near Eastern empires, where kings leveraged conquered peoples for monumental constructions.
• "to this day": This phrase (עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, ‘ad hayyōm hazzeh) is a formulaic Chronicler's expression indicating that the state of affairs or a custom initiated by Solomon continued to exist or be recognizable at the time the Chronicler was writing, providing a sense of historical continuity and relevance for the original audience.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "their children who were left after them in the land": This phrase underscores the legacy of the incomplete conquest. Generations later, these non-Israelite populations continued to inhabit the land promised to Israel, presenting both a challenge (as seen in Judges) and, for Solomon, a pragmatic resource.
• "whom the people of Israel had not destroyed": This crucial explanatory clause points to a significant act of Israel's disobedience or omission in earlier periods. The failure to carry out the ḥērem against these particular groups meant their continued presence and eventual subjugation for labor, a different fate than complete destruction but still one of servitude under Israelite rule. This explains why such a labor force was available to Solomon.
• "from them Solomon raised forced labor to this day": This identifies the source of the immense workforce Solomon commanded. It clarifies that the burdensome, non-voluntary labor for his extensive building programs came exclusively from these subjugated foreigners, highlighting a key aspect of Solomon's kingdom's economy and social structure. It also contrasts sharply with the role of Israelites in his kingdom (2 Chr 8:9), who served as soldiers, officials, and supervisors, but not as such enslaved laborers.

2 Chronicles 8 8 Bonus section

The Chronicler's specific mention of these non-Israelite groups being "whom the people of Israel had not destroyed" implicitly connects Solomon's actions to earlier moments of Israel's incomplete obedience. While not presented as a direct judgment on Solomon, it frames the existence of this forced labor class as a direct consequence of a past failure to completely carry out the divine mandate during the conquest era. Thus, these subjugated peoples, who by divine decree should have been dispossessed, instead became an available resource for Solomonic endeavors. This serves as a practical, albeit harsh, demonstration of the consequences that can arise from partial obedience.

2 Chronicles 8 8 Commentary

2 Chronicles 8:8 provides a critical detail regarding the workforce behind King Solomon's legendary building accomplishments. It clarifies that his massive corvée labor force for public works—such as constructing the Temple, royal palaces, and fortified cities—was primarily composed of the non-Israelite peoples remaining in the land. This includes the descendants of various Canaanite groups who, contrary to divine command (Deut 7:1-2), were not utterly removed or devoted to destruction (ḥērem) by previous Israelite generations.

The verse illustrates Solomon's shrewd and pragmatic approach to governance and monumental construction, capitalizing on a ready pool of manpower that already existed within his territory. By employing these resident foreigners for the arduous "forced labor" (mas), Solomon avoided conscripting Israelites into such oppressive service, reserving them for administrative, military, or supervisory roles (as emphasized in 2 Chr 8:9). This distinction was vital to maintaining the internal integrity and freedom of the Israelite population, presenting Solomon as a king who safeguarded his own people while leveraging others according to established ancient Near Eastern practices concerning subjugated populations. The phrase "to this day" functions as a Chronicler's authenticating remark, suggesting the enduring presence or memory of this labor class.