1 Kings 9:23

23 These were the deputies who were over Solomon's work: 550 who ruled over the people doing the work.^[a]

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 descendants who remained in the land after them, those whom the Israelites were unable to annihilate-Solomon imposed forced labor on them; [it is this way] until today.

22 But Solomon did not consign the Israelites to slavery; they were soldiers, his servants, his commanders, his captains, and commanders of his chariots and his cavalry.

23 These were the deputies who were over Solomon's work: 550 who ruled over the people doing the work.

24 Pharaoh's daughter moved from the city of David to the house that Solomon had built for her; he then built the terraces.

25 Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, and he burned incense with them in the Lord's presence. So he completed the temple.

Footnotes

• [a]. 2 Ch 8:3-10