Since Solomon treated the people of Israel differently from the non-Israelites, the common Hebrew conjunction at the beginning of this verse may legitimately be translated But, as in Revised Standard Version and many other versions. Similarly, New Jerusalem Bible and De Vries use the word “however” to introduce this verse.

For the Hebrew noun rendered officials, see the comments on 1 Kgs 1.2, where it is translated “servants.” The parallel passage in 2 Chr 8.9 does not have this word, and some interpreters think that it does not fit the context here. Revised English Bible omits this term, but it should be included.

Commanders renders the same Hebrew noun that is translated “high officials” in 1 Kgs 4.2. See the comments there. The same Hebrew noun occurs in the phrase chariot commanders. Revised English Bible renders this “captains” and New Jerusalem Bible says “administrators.”

The Hebrew noun rendered captains is probably related to the number “three,” but it does not mean “three.” Rather, it is a technical term referring to an elite group of soldiers who took their orders directly from the king and carried out special assignments for him. In modern terms these soldiers would be called “soldiers of fortune” or “mercenaries.” They probably did not have responsibilities as commanders, as some translations suggest (so Contemporary English Version).

Other explanations that have been given for this term include the following: (1) “the third men in the chariots,” meaning those who were the armorbearers of the warriors in the chariots; (2) “officers of third rank” (An American Translation) after the king and the commander of the army, so Revised English Bible renders this “lieutenants”; (3) “aides-de-camp” (so Gray); and (4) the king’s “adjutants” (so New American Bible).

Horsemen: See the comments on verse 19, where the ambiguity in the meaning of this noun is discussed. This ambiguity is reflected here in the various translations: “cavalry” (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), “charioteers” (New American Bible), and “chariot drivers” (Contemporary English Version).

It will be noted that Contemporary English Version restructures verses 20-22 as follows:

• Solomon did not force the Israelites to do his work. They were his soldiers, officials, leaders, commanders, chariot captains, and chariot drivers. But he did make slaves of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites who were living in Israel. These were the descendants of those foreigners the Israelites could not destroy, and they remained Israel’s slaves.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .