Bible Encyclopedias
Levy

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(כמִס, mas, tribute, as usually rendered), a tax or requirement of service imposed by Eastern kings for public works, hence a gang or company of men impressed into such service (1 Kings 5:13-14; 1 Kings 9:15). In two passages other terms (עָלָה . 1 Kings 9:21; רוּם, Numbers 31:28) are employed in connection with this, to denote the exaction of tribute. (See TRIBUTE).