of the children

Leviticus 25:39
If a countryman among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, you must not force him into slave labor.

but they were men

1 Kings 4:1-27
So King Solomon ruled over Israel, . . .

1 Samuel 8:11, 12
He said, "This will be the manner of the king who will rule over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to his own chariots and horses, to run in front of his chariots. . . .

2 Chronicles 8:9, 10
But Solomon did not consign any of the Israelites to slave labor, because they were his men of war, his officers and captains, and the commanders of his chariots and cavalry. . . .