דברי הימים ב, פרק ח׳, פסוק ח׳

King Solomon's extensive building projects required a massive workforce to bring his national vision to life. The descendants of the Canaanite nations who still remained in the region became the primary source of this labor. Commentators explain that because the Israelites had not completely destroyed these nations during their earlier conquests, pockets of these populations continued to live among them.

Since these remaining groups were not legally supposed to dwell in the land, Solomon utilized their ongoing presence by drafting them into royal service. He imposed a mandatory labor tax on them, forcing them to work on the various buildings and public works he required. This arrangement of forced labor was not a temporary measure. The workers remained at their posts continuously until the final completion of all the construction projects.