1 Kings 5:13-18

13 And King Solomon raised a tribute of men out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.

14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the levy.

15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand who bore burdens and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains,

16 besides the chief of Solomon's officers who were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, who ruled over the people who wrought in the work.

17 And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones and hewn stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

18 And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the stone squarers hewed them. So they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

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.