1 Kings 5:16

16 Besides the overseers who were over every work, in number three thousand and three hundred, that ruled over the people, and them that did the work.

1 Kings 5:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 5:16

Besides the chief of Solomon's officers which [were] over the
work
Over the whole work, preparatory for the building of the temple; though it seems chiefly to have respect to that of hewing the stones, and bringing them to the city:

three thousand and three hundred which ruled over the people that
wrought in the work;
to keep them to their work, and to see that they performed it well: in ( 2 Chronicles 2:18 ) ; they are said to be 3600, which is three hundred more than here; those three hundred are the chief officers mentioned in the former part of this verse, which were over the whole work, and even over the 3600 overseers, and with them made up the sum of 3600; so Jacob Leon ^F8 observes there were 3300 master workmen, and three hundred commanders over them all.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Relation of Memorable Things in the Temple, ch. 3. p. 14.

1 Kings 5:16 In-Context

14 And he sent them to Libanus, ten thousand every month, by turns, so that two months they were at home: and Adoniram was over this levy.

15 And Solomon had seventy thousand to carry burdens, and eighty thousand to hew stones in the mountain:

16 Besides the overseers who were over every work, in number three thousand and three hundred, that ruled over the people, and them that did the work.

17 And the king commanded that they should bring great stones, costly stones, for the foundation of the temple, and should square them:

18 And the masons of Solomon, and the masons of Hiram, hewed them: and the Giblians prepared timber and stones to build the house.