1 Kings 8:17
Your flocks also he will tithe, and you shall be his servants.
Open 1 Kings 8:17 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Greges quoque vestros addecimabit, vosque eritis ei servi.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ τὰ ποίμνια ὑμῶν ἀποδεκατώσει· καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔσεσθε αὐτῷ δοῦλοι.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- צֹאנְכֶ֖ם יַעְשֹׂ֑ר וְאַתֶּ֖ם תִּֽהְיוּ ל֥וֹ לַעֲבָדִֽים
Haydock's commentary
Servants, or slaves. The Hebrews enjoyed greater liberty than any of the nations in the East, yet they are styled slaves, chap. xvii. 8. They were nearly on the same footing as the ancient Germans. "Each governed in his own place of abode. The Lord requires of them a quantity of corn, cattle, or clothing, and so far the slave obeys;" servus hactenus paret. (Tacitus, Germ.) The Hebrews were also bound to follow the king to battle. The Egyptians, Persians, &c., were under greater oppression. Herodotus (iii. 31,) informs us, that when Cambyses designed to marry his own sister, his counsellors replied, that they found no express law to this effect; but there was another, "that the king of Persia may do whatever he please." The highest officers, and even his brothers, were styled, "slaves, Douloi, of the great king." (Aristotle, Mund.)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St John Chrysostom Homilies on Second Corinthians, Homily XXIV
[3.] Seest thou how he lays upon them the whole blame, both of their senseless pride and of what seems to be folly in himself. ‘For not that I may show myself more conspicuous, but that I may set you free from this bitter slavery, am I compelled to glory some little. But it is meet to examine not simply things that are said, but, in addition, the reason also. For Samuel also put together a high panegyric upon himself, when he anointed Saul, saying, “Whose ass have I taken, or calf, or shoes? or have I oppressed any of you?” ( 1 Sam. xii. 3 , LXX.) And yet no one finds fault with him. And the reason is because he did not say it by way of setting off himself; but because he was going to appoint a king, he wishes under the form of a defence [of himself] to instruct him to be meek and gentle. And observe the wisdom of the prophet, or rather the loving kindness of God. …