1 Kings 5:13-18

13 Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel.

14 He sent them to Lebanon in shifts, 10,000 every month, so that each man would be one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of this labor force.

15 Solomon also had 70,000 common laborers, 80,000 quarry workers in the hill country,

16 and 3,600 foremen to supervise the work.

17 At the king’s command, they quarried large blocks of high-quality stone and shaped them to make the foundation of the Temple.

18 Men from the city of Gebal helped Solomon’s and Hiram’s builders prepare the timber and stone for the Temple.

1 Kings 5:13-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KINGS 5

This chapter relates Solomon's preparation for building the temple: on Hiram, king of Tyre, sending a congratulatory letter to him, he returned another to him, signifying his intention to build an house for God, and requesting him to supply him with timber, and men to work it, 1Ki 5:1-6; to which Hiram readily agreed, and sent him cedar and fir, and Solomon in return sent him food for his household; and things went on very amicably between them, 1Ki 5:7-12; the chapter concludes with an account of Solomon's workmen, where, how, and in what they were employed, 1Ki 5:13-18.

Footnotes

• [a]. As in some Greek manuscripts (see also 2 Chr 2:2, 18 ); Hebrew reads 3,300.