So what went wrong?
The lavish scale of Solomon’s epic empire emerges further in the next few chapters either as a boast or a warning sign: It won’t last long.
The excess use of labor and the mass construction of forts, palaces, stables and cities is impressive but who foots the bill and what is all for? Half way through this chapter a curious incident is referred to - in exchange for their continued and expanded maritime partnership King Solomon awards King Hiram twenty cities in the north. But Hiram is not impressed. The value is low and for the first time in the 20+ years of this regional alliance something seems wrong. Has Solomon’s worth declined? Does he now need to replace payment for goods with land? It seems so.
And to make matters worse this chapter indicates that in despair the king resorts to mass scale slave labor. Not just national service by willing subjects willing to take on tasks for the state and its thriving economy. Like all colonizers he targets the weakest segment of society - the indigenous natives of the land - the last ones remaining from all the conquest and wars:
כׇּל־הָ֠עָ֠ם הַנּוֹתָ֨ר מִן־הָאֱמֹרִ֜י הַחִתִּ֤י הַפְּרִזִּי֙ הַחִוִּ֣י וְהַיְבוּסִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־מִבְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הֵֽמָּה׃ בְּנֵיהֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר נֹתְר֤וּ אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹא־יָכְל֛וּ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְהַחֲרִימָ֑ם וַיַּעֲלֵ֤ם שְׁלֹמֹה֙ לְמַס־עֹבֵ֔ד עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
All the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites who were not of the Israelite stock—
Those of their descendants who remained in the land and whom the Israelites were not able to annihilate—of these Solomon made a slave force, as is still the case.
Kings I 9:20
There is chilling admission here, owning the strategy all along: overpower the natives, annihilate, subjugate. We’ve seen conflicting strategic approaches in Joshua vs. Judges - kill all the locals or live along them and get along, marry and merge - or murder. According to most scholars it was a bit of both, at different times. Solomon is picking up where his father started. It was David who finally conquered the Canaanites, enslaved them and set up a tax-slave master over them, still around and in the same job during Solomon’s reign.
The next verse emphasizes that this enforced slave labor did not include the people of Israel. Although we’ve been told of mass conscription for building projects in the previous chapters - by now it seems that Solomon is creating, or continuing, an ethnic hierarchy that makes sure the local population is reduced to servile silence, but with different classes of servitude.
This is not strictly a ‘chosen people’ preference that prefers Israelites to Gentiles. After all, Solomon’s queen is Egyptian, his main business partner is from Tyre and as we’ll soon see he’s comfortable with many wives and many deities of all the local types. This is a financial focus and may point at what is lurking below the surface - greed and excess slowly reducing the kingdom to disparity and despair and it will only get worse.
Dr Claude Mariottini, a biblical scholar, writes:
“a close study of the biblical text reveals the true character of Solomon. In his desire to enlarge the splendor of his kingdom, Solomon introduced policies that disrupted the lives of many people in Israel, brought untold misery to many others, and eventually caused the division of the kingdom after his death.”
The word ‘gold’ shows up fourteen times in this and the next chapter -- imported from Africa, decorating the palace and throne, glittering -- but not for long. Whoever wrote this book centuries later is not praising Solomon. They are appraising a chilling reality in the making - the golden age of Israel - and the price tag.
This book not about history precisely. It was written, possibly by prophets, a few generations after the events and their tragic aftermath of destruction and exile in response to the question - what went wrong?
Earlier in this chapter YHWH shows up again in Solomon’s dream to warn him - if you deviate from the path of faith this temple will become a famous ruin and you will be a joke. Solomon and his sons, like many other colonial rules, did not heed. It won’t happen right away - but this empire, gold and greed and all, is already doomed.
But not just yet. Coming next - a royal visit that will leave an important imprint, a trail of riddles and a mysterious bi-racial regal lineage still powerfully compelling today. And some great music. Get ready for the African Queen who comes bearing gifts of - more gold.
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