Contradiction with Deuteronomy 20:16-17
In Deuteronomy, God commands the Israelites to completely destroy the nations inhabiting the Promised Land, which contradicts 1 Kings 9:21 where those people were not utterly destroyed but rather subjected to labor.
Deuteronomy 20:16-17: But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee [for] an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:
Contradiction with Joshua 11:14
Joshua states that the Israelites took the spoil of every city and smote all the inhabitants without leaving any survivors, while 1 Kings 9:21 suggests there were survivors who became bondservants.
Joshua 11:14: And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe.
Contradiction with Deuteronomy 7:2
God commands the Israelites to utterly destroy the nations and make no covenants with them, contrasting with 1 Kings 9:21 where those nations were not destroyed completely and were subjected to forced labor.
Deuteronomy 7:2: And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, [and] utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
Paradox #1
1 Kings 9:21 might seem to conflict with earlier commands in the Bible about how the Israelites were supposed to deal with the people living in the land. Earlier commands in books like Deuteronomy instructed them to completely destroy certain nations to prevent idolatry and cultural influences that were against their beliefs. However, this verse mentions the Israelites subjecting these people to forced labor instead. This could seem inconsistent with the idea of total destruction.
Paradox #2
The verse describes the people whom the Israelites couldn't completely drive out and later used as forced labor. A possible contradiction is that it seems inconsistent with earlier passages where it is stated that these people were completely defeated or destroyed during the conquests. This raises questions about the exact historical events and whether complete destruction or subjugation occurred.
Paradox #3
The contradiction in 1 Kings 9:21 could be related to the ethical concerns about forced labor. The verse discusses the continuation of forced labor among certain groups of people, raising questions about justice, equality, and the treatment of others, especially when considering broader biblical teachings on mercy and kindness.