Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 8:7
[As for] all the people [that were] left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which [were] not of Israel,
7 10 (= 1Ki 9:20-23). Solomon’s Task-workers
7. Hittites Jebusites ] See notes on 1Ch 1:13-15.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
7. all the people that were left,&c.The descendants of the Canaanites who remained in thecountry were treated as war prisoners, being obliged to “paytribute or to serve as galley slaves” (2Ch2:18), while the Israelites were employed in no works but such aswere of an honorable character.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[See comments on 2Ch 8:6].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
On the arrangement of the statute labour, see on 1Ki 9:20-23. – This note is in Chr. abruptly introduced immediately after the preceding. 2Ch 8:7 is an absolute clause: “as regards the whole people, those.” (2Ch 8:8) is not partitive: some of their sons; but is only placed before the : those of their sons (i.e., of the descendants of the whole Canaanite people) who had remained in the land, whom the Israelites had not exterminated; Solomon made a levy of these for statute labourers. The is wanting in 1 Kings, but is not to be struck out here on that account. Much more surprising is the after , 2Ch 8:9, which is likewise not found in 1 Kings, since the following verb is not to be taken relatively, but contains the predicate of the subject contained in the words . This cannot be otherwise justified than by supposing that it is placed after , as in Psa 69:27 it is placed after the subject of the relative clause, and so stands for : those who were of the sons of Israel (i.e., Israelites) Solomon did not make … The preplacing of in 2Ch 8:8 would naturally suggest that should also precede, in order to bring out sharply the contrast between the sons of the Canaanites and the sons of Israel.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
See note on 1Ki 9:20
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(b) THE FORCED LABOUR OF THE CANAANITES
(2Ch. 8:7-10).
With this section comp. 1Ki. 9:20-23, and the Notes there. In Kings it stands in more obvious connection with what precedes; for there the account of Solomons buildings is headed by the words, And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised, for to build the house of the Lord, &c. (1Ki. 9:15).
(7) As for all the people that were left.The verse agrees with 1Ki. 9:20.
(8) But.Omit. The of also is wanting in 1Ki. 9:21. So Syriac, but not LXX. and Vulgate.
Consumed not.1Sa. 15:18. Kings, were not able to exterminate. The chroniclers reading is probably due to the fading of letters in his MS. authority.
Them did Solomon make to pay tribute.On them did Solomon levy a tribute. Kings has the fuller expression, mas bd, tribute of labourers. Solomon en fit de leves pour la corve (Reuss).
(9) But of the children of Israel.See 1Ki. 9:22. The Heb. text has the relative (asher) after children of Israel. But some few MSS., and the ancient versions, omit it. It is, perhaps, an accidental repetition from the beginning of 2Ch. 8:8.
According to Diod. Sic. i. 56, Sesostris (Rameses II.), the great Egyptian monarch, was wont to inscribe over the temples he built, No native hath laboured hereon.
After men of war, Kings adds, and his servants, which is omitted here as unsuitable, after the preceding statement. It means, however, courtiers and officers.
Chief of his captains.Heb., captains of his knights; which appears to be incorrect. Read, his captains and his knights, or aides-de-camp. as in Kings. LXX., .
(10) The chief of king Solomons officers.Captains of the overseers, or prefects, i.e., chief overseers, or inspectors of works (Comp. 1Ch. 18:13, and 2Ch. 17:2, for the word nbm, prefects.) The Heb. margin suggests niabm, the word used in Kings.
King Solomons.Literally, Who were to king Solomon. Kings, who were over the work for Solomon. Clearly the latter has been corrupted into the form presented by our text through a confusion of mlkh, work, with mlek, king.
Two hundred and fifty.See 2Ch. 2:17, and 1Ki. 9:23. In the latter place 550 is the number. The number here is an error of transcription, , i.e., 550, having been mistaken for , i.e., 250 (Kennicott).
Bare rule.They were taskmasters. (Comp. Syriac, who made the people work who were working at the works.)
The peoplei.e., the Canaanite remnant (2Ch. 8:7). Kings adds, who were labouring at the work. (See Syriac.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 8:7. Which were not of Israel i.e. Who did not observe the Jewish law and religion.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
The distinction Solomon made between his own people and the strangers, in exacting from the latter tribute, might, for ought I know, be politic as a prince. But blessed be our almighty Solomon, he makes no distinction between Jew and Gentile. The latter are fellow-heirs. And of such Jesus himself saith, Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Joh 10:16 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 8:7-10
2Ch 8:7-10
SOLOMON’S MERCILESS ENSLAVEMENT OF THE RESIDUAL CANAANITES
“As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, that were not of Israel; of their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel consumed not, of them did Solomon raise a levy of bondservants unto this day. But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and rulers of his chariots and his horsemen. And these were the chief officers of king Solomon, even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people.”
“Solomon raised a levy of bondservants” (2Ch 8:8). These descendants of the original Canaanites whom Israel had displaced, were first conscripted and enslaved for building the temple and the king’s house, some 153,600 of them (2Ch 2:1-2); but the significance of this mention of them is that, after the completion of Solomon’s building program, they were permanently enslaved. No doubt these were used as waiters and servants of that vast concourse of people who attended the feast of the dedication.
It is not hard to understand why the Israelites considered this an ideal arrangement indeed, and why, even down to the times of Christ, the Jews desired absolutely nothing, either in heaven or on earth, except the restoration of that godless slave-state of king Solomon, to which restoration their expected Messiah was vainly supposed by them to devote his entire resources! The reason they rejected Christ was their realization that he would never cooperate in such a restoration.
E.M. Zerr:
2Ch 8:7-8. Pay tribute means they were compelled to pay taxes in the sense of tariff, for the support of the government whose protection they were enjoying. They were compelled also to do bodily service for Solomon’s kingdom.
2Ch 8:9-10. Solomon never made war against any nation. There are needs, however, other than military, for soldiers’ services. One thing, “to be prepared” is one way of avoiding actual military actions, and doubtless the keeping of this “standing army” of 250 chief men with the great numbers under their command, was one of God’s means of effecting the reign of peace predicted for Solomon.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
As for all: 1Ki 9:20-22
the Hittites: Gen 15:19-21, Deu 7:1
Reciprocal: Gen 9:25 – a servant Jos 17:13 – put the 1Ki 5:15 – threescore 1Ki 9:17 – Bethhoron 1Ch 22:2 – the strangers 2Ch 2:17 – numbered