1 Kings 9:23

23 These were the chiefs of the overseers of Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, in authority over the people who did the work.

1 Kings 9:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 9:23

These were the chief of the officers over Solomon's work
In building the above houses and cities:

five hundred and fifty which bore rule over the people that wrought
in the work;
in ( 2 Chronicles 8:10 ) they are said to be but two hundred and fifty; now it may be observed, as is by the Jewish writers, that there were three sorts of those rulers; the lowest rank and order of them consisted of 3300, the next of three hundred which were over the 3300, and being numbered with them made 3600, ( 2 Chronicles 2:18 ) and the highest rank of them were two hundred and fifty, and the middlemost and highest being joined together, as they are here, made five hundred and fifty. Abarbinel reconciles the places thus, the two hundred and fifty were only over those that wrought in the temple; and the five hundred and fifty here were those that were over such that were employed in the various parts of the kingdom.

1 Kings 9:23 In-Context

21 Their children who were still in the land, and whom the children of Israel had not been able to put to complete destruction, them did Solomon put to forced work, to this day.

22 But Solomon did not put the children of Israel to forced work; they were the men of war, his servants, his captains, and his chiefs, captains of his war-carriages and of his horsemen.

23 These were the chiefs of the overseers of Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, in authority over the people who did the work.

24 At that time Solomon made Pharaoh's daughter come up from the town of David to the house which he had made for her: then he made the Millo.

25 Three times in the year it was Solomon's way to give burned offerings and peace-offerings on the altar he had made to the Lord, causing his fire-offering to go up on the altar before the Lord.