II Chronicles 8:9
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But Solomon did not consign any of the Israelites to slave labor, because they were his men of war, his officers and captains, and the commanders of his chariots and cavalry.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
שׁלישׁיו ושׁרי should be altered into ושׁלישׁיו שׂריו as in Kg1 9:22, for שׁלישׁים are not chariot combatants, but royal adjutants; see on Exo 14:7 and Sa2 23:8. Over the statute labourers 250 upper overseers were placed. נציבים שׂרי, chief of the superiors, i.e., chief overseer. The Keth. נציבים, praefecti, is the true reading; cf. Ch1 18:13; Ch2 17:2. The Keri has arisen out of Kg1 9:23. These overseers were Israelites, while in the number 550 (Kg1 9:23) the Israelite and Canaanite upper overseers are both included; see on Ch2 2:17. בּעם refers to כּל־העם, Ch2 8:7, and denotes the Canaanite people who remained.
Open source ↗In this chapter we are told, I. What cities Solomon built (Ch2 8:1-6). II. What workmen Solomon employed (Ch2 8:7-10). III. What care he took about a proper settlement for his wife (Ch2 8:11). IV. What a good method he put the temple-service into (Ch2 8:12-16). V. What trading he had with foreign countries (Ch2 8:17, Ch2 8:18).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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