Now King Solomon levied forced laborers from all Israel; and the forced laborers numbered 30,000 men.Who were these forced laborers? We these Israelites, subjects of Solomon, who were basically drafted into a work army? Were they slaves of the Israelites, either by debt or from their past conquests, who were tasked to work as the price of survival?
And how were they selected? The only time I remember the term "levied" being used was for taxing. Was it some sort of tax, where each family had to give someone up to be a laborer? If so, does that mean richer families were either exempt or could give a servant? Or was it some kind of lottery, where random people were selected and taken away? Perhaps all were judged, and the strongest, healthiest 30,000 were selected?
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